The Smile of Hope
by adrenalineguts
Summary: AU: Kili partakes in Thorin's quest to reclaim Erebor. For the young dwarf, this is the adventure he has always dreamed. However, there is a sudden addition to his adventure: a shy young dwarrowdam with the ability to foresee things to come. Kili/OC
1. A Children's Story

_Hello, all! So, I've been doing some maintenance on the first six chapters. Now, that they're all up to my standards, I'm reposting the chapters and cannot stress enough to reread the chapters because there's a bit of new stuff. Thank you all for being patient. Happy reading!_

* * *

The world was filled with many treasures, many beautiful lands. There were lands filled with mystery, with wonder, with _magic_. If one were to sail into the frozen Icebay of Forochel, they would themselves in perhaps the most magical of all the lands. Though there would be a long walk in the blistering cold with insufferable winds blowing in their faces, going southwest towards Ered Luin would joyously welcome them with a swirl of warmth in the winds. And along with that, they would witness the flowing commerce that still dwelled in the mountains of Men and Dwarves.

The land, even the earth itself held magic. It flowed in and beyond the Blue Mountains, over the rolling green hills of the Shire. It wove its way into the wind and through the forests, golden grasslands and rocks. Powerful magic, pure and filled with all the goodness flowed like a gentle river in the city of Rivendell, the home of the Elves.

Despite the good in the world, there was a darkness, an evil. It lurked in the old Witch-realm of Angmar, in the caves of Mount Gundabad. Monsters and creatures of war devoured the weak in Moria. Creatures that prey on Men, the monsters beneath a child's bed, Goblins and Orcs if one were to be precise, hid in the caverns and nooks within the Misty Mountains.

Yet, the darkness that had taken a home in those parts of the lands had slowly diminished. An evil that had lived past the Greenwood, a fire drake, had also been long gone, driven from its mountain and sunken deep into cold water. With the evil that had once thrived in the mountain vanquished, the ones who once lived there returned. Life was able to return to the land once the darkness had passed in the realm, as it did in the Lonely Mountain.

Life and happiness returned to that very mountain, and deep inside its heart, something grand was happening.

The halls within the palace under the mountain were filled with sumptuous sounds and sights. The grand dwarven kingdom of Erebor flourished with the opulent music of harps, flutes, and drums, as well as the excited, elated chatter amongst the people surrounding the large, elongated table. The stone walls were lit by blazing candelabras, illuminating the ancient carvings made by dwarf hands; gems and gold set into the walls were flashing with beauty. Along the walls were hand crafted vases, baked in dwarf fires and hand painted carefully with the stories of battles old and legends true. Each vase contained bright, colorful flowers that were growing alongside the mountain, flowers that had finally broke through the ground and into the fresh air sixteen years ago.

Apart from the sounds and sights was the enticing smell from the table. Food, spread as far the eye could see, decorated the oak table. Buttered rolls, boiled potatoes, a crown of ribs, aged cheeses, cakes and pies, a roasted pig, beef and carrot stews, ripe fruit, smoked fish, pitchers of ale and wine all grasped in hungry hands. The sight of the food could make any person in the room -dwarf, human, or elf- succumb to the heavenly sight of the grand feast; no one could resist a nibble.

Not even the three mischievous dwarf princes, who were crawling under the table, could resist.

The eldest of the three, the one named after his father's brother, waved a hand over to beckon his brothers closer to a part of the table where powdered biscuits lay above. They crawled on their forearms and knees, careful of the feet in front of them. The brother with ebony hair, named after his great-uncle, accidentally butted his head against the leg of a she-elf, his head momentarily disappearing under the satin of her skirts. He pulled away with a bright red face from embarrassment and the sight he had encountered; his two brothers playfully snickered in front of him.

The elder brother came to a stop and pointed to the middle brother, this one named after their mother's father, and then pointed to the feet belonging to a dwarf lord and up to the table. The middle brother nodded, watching as his older brother jammed his elbow into the dwarf's foot. Above, the dwarf lord yelped in pain, and with a startled and angry look, turned to the human beside him.

"What was that for, ye' bugger?" The dwarf bellowed.

The man's eyebrow twitched and looked down at his neighbor. "I beg your pardon?"

"Ye' stepped on m'foot!"

"I did no such thing-" The man was cut off as the dwarf retorted, "Well, ye' did!"

Through the angry exchange, the middle brother slipped between the two's legs and let his arms stealthily slip onto the table and grasp the plate of biscuits. He pulled it off the table just as he kicked his body off the ground and bolted out, his brothers quickly following suit. They could still hear the bickering between the man and dwarf as they carried the pastries to the balcony opposite the table. They settled behind a thick red velvet curtain, cheering and slapping each other's back at their achievement.

"Dig in, boys!" The eldest grinned as he rubbed his hands together.

The second eldest picked up a biscuit, eagerness overtaking him as he brought it up to his lips. However, a throaty, deep voice cleared his throat from behind, jolting the boy into the air and he dropped the pastry.

"I think you'll spoil your dinner," the old man said, gray robes flowing behind him as he pushed aside the balcony curtain. "That, or upset your mother. She has been looking for you."

The youngest groaned. "How did you find us?"

The man only chuckled and tapped the side of his nose. "A wizard never reveals his secrets."

"Can't we have just _one_ biscuit?" The eldest pleaded, stomach rumbling.

The wizard simply shook his head, sighing. He waved off the plea and sat down on the stone bench, putting his staff aside. The sun was setting, casting brilliant hues of pink, orange, and purple across the sky. There wasn't a cloud staining the atmosphere, and only a few stares had decided to peek out.

"Do you suppose you could light a few fireworks for us?" The second eldest asked. The wizard pulled out the pipe from his pocket and lit the tobacco with a snap of his fingers. "Dear me, no. And ruin the whole show I have planned later tonight?" He spoke around his pipe. "You will all just have to wait."

The boys all groaned, all simultaneously flopping onto their backs with great sighs. The old man merely rolled his eyes. For princes, they acted more like lazy, impatient humans. But, after all, they were only children he reminded himself.

"Will a story help pass the time?" The wizard suggested.

They seemed to perk up quickly at the sound of that, and soon enough they were scooting themselves closer at the wizard's feet. He blew smoke from his mouth into perfect o's, looking down at the young dwarves with mild amusement.

"Can you tell us the rebirth of Erebor again?" The youngest asked, his blue eyes widening. "That's my favorite one!"

His brothers hummed in agreement, looking to the wizard with hope as he stroked his beard in contemplation. After blowing out another lungful of smoke through his nose, he was struck with an idea.

"Perhaps I tell you the story of your mother and father?"

The eldest grimaced. "You don't mean a love story, do you?"

The wizard simply smiled. "What makes you believe that a story involving your parents is that of love?" The boys gave him a pointed look. "Well, it is in a way, but do not trouble yourselves for a silly little thing; for there is still the spirit of adventure and bravery. And don't you wish to know how they came to be?"

The youngest shrugged. "Father says that they eloped after the Great Battle."

"That they did," the old man nodded then paused for a moment in thought. "Perhaps I haven't told you the full story of the dwarves taking back the kingdom."

The boys gaped and widened their eyes. "The full story? I thought you told us everything!"

"Well, are you aware that your mother played an important part in the company of Thorin Oakenshield?"

"What?" "How important was she?" "What do you mean?"

He chuckled. "Though she proved herself till the end, she had aided the company in her own, simple ways. This is how your father came to love her."

"Well, are ya' goin' to tell us or leave us impatient?" The middle boy sighed with exasperation.

"Now, now," The wizard waved his hand. "Like all good stories, we must start from the very beginning."

He shifted his gaze over each of the three princes, waiting for the young brothers to get comfortable on the balcony floor and to give the wizard their undivided attention.

"Now," He puffed his pipe in thought, exhaling the smoke through his nostrils. "Long ago, about two hundred years before, I believe, the kingdom of Erebor was a grand place, ruled by your bloodline of Durin. The king under the mountain, at the time, was Thrain. The dwarves were-and still are- a proud people, made up miners and great warriors who-"

"We _already_ know this," the eldest groaned.

The wizard cocked a brow. "I don't recall you telling the story."

"Sorry..."

"I suppose I should start from the decades after the fearsome dragon Smaug had claimed the Lonely Mountain, in order for you three to stop interrupting me," he mused with a great sigh.

With another slow draw from his pipe, the old man resumed his story-telling.

"Two hundred years later, after Dale had been burned from dragon fire, the dwarves flushed from their homeland, and the battles that had come after with the orcs, peace had finally settled over Middle Earth. The elves of Mirkwood and Rivendell kept to themselves, as did the dwarves of the Iron Hills and Blue Mountains while they found work and a new life to replace the one that they had sadly lost. Thorin, son of Thror, son of Thrain, saw to it that his subjects lived a comfortable life. Yet, he harbored a deep animosity for the fire drake, and the Elves that abandoned him and his kin. He held a dark anger in his heart from the day they lost the mountain, and was kindled for many, many years."

"The legends that had been passed around Middle Earth about the Line of Durin and the Lonely Mountain had died away, a prophecy that had spoken of the King under the Mountain returning to reclaim his homeland, along with the treasure inside. Many had forgotten nor wanted to hear of it, believing that it had already caused great heartache and disappointment. However, Thorin's father, Thror, passed on a piece of the legend for me to keep until the time would come for me to meet the dwarf prince. And as time had passed, I had eventually sought out Thorin Oakenshield, telling him that it was time to reclaim his throne and to restore the order and prosperity Erebor had once possessed. He called upon the dwarves, his cousins and dearest friends and all the dwarves that still remained loyal to the heirs of Durin, for aid to reclaim their homeland, yet only thirteen had agreed to aid their king while most had thought the journey to be mad or reckless."

The youngest prince couldn't help but interrupt, though the wizard didn't mind the silly question, understanding that the young boy was only curious and amazed. "And father was one of the thirteen?"

The wizard, again, nodded. "One of the thirteen, yes. He was a fine lad; brave and true, selfless. Especially towards those he truly cared for. However, in order to infiltrate the mountain, the company required a person of stealth and who moved much like a mouse without being noticed. Which is why I had thought of a hobbit from the line of Took."

"Bilbo Baggins!" One of the brothers said.

"Yes, Bilbo Baggins. And so, Master Baggins had joined the company. The poor hobbit nearly died from a heart attack when the dwarves had raided his pantry and tossed his mother's china about the dining room and kitchen. Although, many of us were sure that Bilbo had lost some years upon reading the contract for the journey. Poor lad fainted at the thought of incineration and a fire-breathing dragon. Yet, he joined the company despite his hesitation. Master Baggins looked up to your father as he him..."

He trailed off in his thoughts, blowing smoke up into the air as it trailed through the balcony and into the last light of the day. It was carried along the light wind, over the tops of the evergreens in the direction of the west. The wizard let his eyes wander over to the tops of the Misty Mountains, where he knew that off in the distance were the rolling green hills of the Shire that he liked so very much. The memory of Bilbo Baggins running up past the border of Hobbiton to meet Thorin's company made his lips turn up fondly, but it was not so much the memory of the hobbit joining the quest, as much as it was the young dwarf prince who had an eager heart set on reclaiming the mountain of his kin.

As he recalled, the young dwarf had a twinkle in his dark eyes, a strong smirk as well as ambition, and was as naive as most dwarflings were despite his age of seventy-seven. However, the same could be said for his older brother, although slightly less naive and with a better sense of responsibility. But nothing could squander the spirit that the young dwarf had; it only seemed to brighten when the final member had joined the thirteen dwarves and their burglar.

This last member still had a light in her, as well as the gentle touch whoever she'd set her hand on someone's cheek. Her heart held a softness, despite the hardships, the fire she had seen and encountered. A beauty to many, a kindness to be admired and learned from. it seemed rare, the wizard mused, to encounter someone with a vast mind and golden heart. Not to mention someone with her abilities.

No, there were very few in the world that were quite like her.


	2. A Bloody Sunset

_**Sixteen years earlier...**_

"Ten silver pieces each."

A meaty fist pounded the wooden counter of the trader's shop. The dwarf, beads tinkling against the other as his great beard shook from anger, scowled and shook his head. The Man on the other side of the counter had his arms crossed, bored and unfazed by the dwarf's temper. The bottles of ink rolled about from the force of the dwarf's fist.

"Now, see here!" The dwarf argued. "We acquired these bottles of ink ten leagues from the south east! The finest ink from a clan of Men, and rich enough to not get washed away by water! They're at least thirty pieces each!"

"Just plain, ol' bottles of ink if you ask me," the vendor rotated a bottle in his hand.

"Do you doubt my word?" The dwarf asked furiously. "This is of the highest quality-"

Before the dwarf could argue any further and curse or insult the vendor, a delicate hand touched his shoulder and he turned around, his face softening by the smallest of fractions. "I thought you were staying with the ponies, Essie," the dwarf said.

"Gimdar is watching them," the dwarrowdam informed him. She had a slight frown as her gaze flicked between the dwarf and the vendor. "What is happening here?"

"Nothing," the dwarf shot a glare at the vendor, plucking the bottle of ink out of his hand and stuffing the rest into the satchel the dwarf had brought. "We'll just take our business elsewhere."

The dwarrowdam shook her head, taking the satchel from his hands and standing tall before the vendor. The counter had just reached her throat, and she strained to pull the satchel back onto the top. She retrieved a bottle and pulled the cork out of its neck.

"Sir," she asked politely with a soft smile on her face. "If I may request a scrap of parchment and a quill."

The vendor raised an unkempt brow, his large still crossed against his large chest. "What for?"

"A small demonstration," the young woman smiled.

The vendor looked down at the dwarrowdam with mild curiosity mingled with the smallest hint of amusement. He bent down to the shelves set beneath the counter, coming back up with a piece of parchment and an old, well-worn quill. She quickly thanked him, dipping the quill into the ink and began to quickly scrawl a word onto the parchment. It was beautiful hand writing, something that looked more like a delicate calligraphy in old textbooks.

The dwarrowdam set the quill down before reaching down to the sheepskin purse hanging over her shoulders. A waterskin was pulled out and she pulled its cork out, pouring water over the parchment. The vendor grumbled, moving to retreive a rag to wipe the wooden counter. He watched as the girl held the parchment between her thumb and forefinger, turning it to show the front and back of it; miraculously, the ink was untouched.

"The ink does not bleed," the dwarrowdam said as she set the parchment back down. "It is water-resistant, very good for bookkeeping. It will not fade and will be as vibrant as the day it was used. I should also add that it dries rather quickly."

The vendor narrowed his eyes, rubbing the hairs on his chin with his palm as his eyes shifted between the girl, the parchment, and the ink.

"It truly is that of the highest quality," the dwarrowdam said.

After a moment, he let out a great sigh, shaking his head. "I'll give you twenty silver pieces each."

"Thirty," she bargained.

"Twenty-five."

The dwarrowdam thought for a moment, before smiling and nodding. "A fair deal."

Whilst the vendor pulled out his collection box to count out the coins for the eighty bottles, the old dwarf sighed and dragged a rough hand down his face.

"I should just keep you at my side for such dealings," he muttered.

The dwarrowdam laughed, shaking her head and kissing the dwarf on the cheek. "There, there, Uncle Borin. One must be calm, is all. Demonstrations are needed as well if we are to feed ourselves."

The two dwarves were handed a pouch heavy with silver coins as the vendor took the satchel of ink. The market in Bree was still heavy with activity, through it was mid-afternoon. The town of Men, hobbits, and a dwarf or two stopped and observed the stalls, purchasing a bag of apples or having their blades sharpened at the town's blacksmith. Yes, it was a very busy day in the market of Bree.

The dwarrowdam and her uncle crossed over the border of the market and outside the town's walls where their caravan waited. Five gray ponies with manes of fresh cream, waited with two dwarves and two large carts. One cart held all the belongings, food stuff, and necessities of the caravan; the other held all goods for trading or sales.

The dwarrowdam and her uncle greeted their caravan, climbing onto a cart and taking the reins of the two ponies. Her uncle snapped the reins, and off the caravan went in the directions of the Greenfields.

* * *

The dusk was one of her favorite times of the day, when the Sun met the Moon and the air turned crisp and wonderful. The young dwarrowdam looked forward to watching the stars every night as she, her uncle and their caravan would make camp. For decades, this is what kept her at peace, through the stress of trading, of wandering the expanse between Ered Luin and the Misty Mountains.

"We'll camp here tonight," called her uncle as he stopped the wagon. The caravan came to a halt on the grassy land where a ravine was. The sound of a river rushing below welcomed them.

His niece hopped off, dark hair swinging down her back as she pulled the wooden blocks from the wagon and kicked them in under the wheels to keep it from rolling away. The other dwarves hopped off their ponies and began to pull out pots and pans and provisions for that night's supper. The young girl helped start a fire with one of her uncle's closest friends, whom she considered one of her uncles as well.

"Essie!" One of the dwarves called. "Help me with this soup, will you?"

She stopped tending to the fire and helped cut the potatoes that they had just traded a few rolls of fabric for when they had come from the Greenfields in the Shire. Gimdar, a heavy and cheery old dwarf, poured some water from one of the barrels into a small cauldron and threw in the bones of last night's veal. She watched the dwarf with a twinkle in her eye as she chopped the vegetables they had; it seemed that tonight they would have to make do with a vegetable soup. Her uncle would have a fit with the lack of meat, but the old dwarf would cheer up soon. He always did.

"What a lovely sunset," she sighed, pouring the potatoes and carrots into the cauldron and gazing up at the orange and pink hues of the sky.

"Yes," Gimdar smiled. "Very lovely, indeed."

She left Gimdar to finish the soup and helped one of the other dwarves, Bondor, feed the ponies. She fetched a small bucket of oats from the wagon and walked to the three ponies who neighed quietly. There was a beautiful chocolate pony, whom she named Bernard, swishing his tail about and whinnied. She fed him from the bucket, stroking his head and talking quietly to him. The dwarrowdam had a way with the animals, calming them and letting them know that she was a friend instead of a foe. From behind, a small, quick shout from Gimdar caught her attention. She turned around to see him holding his hand, shaking off whatever pain he inflicted.

"Oh, what happened, Gimdar?" She asked, setting the bucket back in the wagon and walking over to the fire.

"Don't worry, Essie," he sighed with a slight frown. "Just a burn, 'm afraid."

She shook her head and tutted, taking his hand to examine it; a small but harsh burn reddened his hand. She set two fingers over it gently and concentrated for a moment, a faint golden glow emitting from her fingertips. After a moment, she pulled away and the skin of Gimdar's hand looked as if nothing had happened.

The old dwarf smile and looked at his hand. "Thank you, lass. Now, if you could fetch the bowls for me; supper is almost ready."

She nodded and ran to the other wagon that Bondor rode on to do what the cook asked. At the wagon was where her uncle was, sorting through a list of materials that he tried to organize. The old dwarf, with his once golden hair going white, scratched his head and sighed; he never was very good at making lists and schedules.

"A bit of trouble, Uncle Borin?" His niece enquired as she fetched the bowls.

He sighed again. "I never was able to get these things right. Your mother, bless her, used to do these for me."

The girl cleaned the bowls of any remnants of dirt or food from the night before, and she smiled thoughtfully. "Mother was able to do a lot of things."

"Aye," Borin nodded. "That's because elves are a lot sharper than dwarves. How my brother managed to sweep her off her feet, I will never know. He was as smart as a hog. Your mother was always making these darn lists, always so organized. If I had a single shilling for every time she hounded me about getting these lists together properly, I'd… well, I'd have all the gold in Erebor."

The two laughed to themselves, and Borin's chuckles subsided as he took a good look at his niece's face. He cradled her bare cheek with affection, a far away gaze in his eyes.

"My, my," he sighed. "A spitting image of your mother, you are. You've grown up to be quiet the young woman now..."

"A woman?" She laughed. "I thought I was a bairn to you."

"You are still a bairn," he gave her a toothy grin before waving her off. "Now run along, Essie."

She nodded and carried the bowls back to the fire. Gimdar called for the caravan members to come and eat their supper, him ladling out the dinner into the bowls and Borin's niece handing them out. She ran to the wagon and back to the group, who sat about the fire, and sliced a loaf of bread she had bought for three silver pennies. After giving everyone a piece of the loaf, she sat down herself and ate. She listened quietly to the dwarves' conversations, laughing when they recollected stories of their youth and nodding to when they talked about where they were off to next. Her uncle wanted to head south to Stock, but Bondor wanted to go to Tuckborough. To her, it didn't matter where they went, as long as they would stop right near dusk and make camp, having a lovely dinner together.

She left her spot from the ground and collected the bowls, shushing the protests of the dwarves while she cleaned. She liked to help clean up; she didn't mind it, only liked to keep herself busy. The dwarves sat back, stuffing their pipes with herbs or pipe weed and lit them. As she cleaned the bowls, she listened to their stories, glancing up every now and then to see her uncle or another dwarf blow a circle of smoke into the orange and indigo sky.

A howl suddenly came from another hill, and all conversation and activity ceased. The howl was a cryptic, bone-chilling sound that made the hairs on their necks stand. The girl rose to her feet from the ground, looking out into the direction of where the howl came, eyes darting around the land while the others did the same. And then she saw it: a large, dark creature, larger than a wolf, stood at the top of the hill. With it was a rider from the likes she had never seen.

"It cannot be," Bondor breathed from behind. He looked towards the girl in front of them, an awful amount of dread running through him.

"What is that?" She asked with a frown. There came another terrible howl and suddenly more of its kind came to the hill with more creatures atop their backs.

"Orcs," Gimbar muttered.

"And Wargs," her uncle growled, and then he looked to his niece with a darkness in his eyes. "Get to the wagon, Essie… now!"

She swallowed, gathering the bowls around her and rushing to the wagon. Another howl rang through the air, and when she turned her head, she saw the Orcs rushing to them, weapons raised high and menacingly. The dwarves rushed about, trying to tie the ponies to the wagons and taking whatever they could. It wasn't until she heard growling and howling so close that she knew that they were upon them.

It happened so quickly. She looked up to see an Orc, his twisted face and awful grin, bring up his mangled bow and shoot an arrow. With a terrified scream, she saw Bondor fall to the ground, arrow sticking right out of his chest.

"No!" She and the two other dwarves screamed.

She hid behind the wagon, watching the Orcs lay waste to her camp and strike Gimbar down with one of their axes. She cried and wailed, watching the light leave the friendly, old dwarf's eyes. Her heart pounded in her ears and the fear ate away at her. A hand suddenly came to her shoulder, and she jumped, but was soon relieved to see her uncle.

"Run, Essie," he told her. "Run!"

"No, not without you-" she cried.

"Hush child," he took a hold of her shoulders. "They want you, lass."

She gave him a look of confusion. "Wh-what?"

A fearsome growl came from the side, and her eyes widened to see a Warg and its rider come towards them. She stood paralyzed from fear until her uncle pulled her along with him into a run. The Wargs came from all sides and the two dwarves found no means of escape; Borin dragged his niece along with him towards the ravine.

"What do they want from me?" she asked between breaths.

"A sibyl," her uncle said, coming to a stop. He unsheathed his sword and held it tightly in front of him and his niece. Borin had never used the sword that always hung at his belt; it was the first time it had been unsheathed in sixty years. "First your mother, and now you. I do not know how they know of you, but their only reason is to get you. You are want they want, Essie. They found you."

"Uncle, I don't-"

"Just don't let them take you," he said, facing his only niece with a pained sorrow in his eyes. "Run, Essie, run away! Run far from here and do not look back!"

With those words and an angry cry, he charged towards one of the advancing Orcs and clashed his sword against theirs. The dwarrowdam watched with fear and cried, looking around for an escape of any sorts, but she and her uncle were surrounded by Wargs. She couldn't leave, though, and was rooted to her spot, wishing for her uncle to follow. He kept yelling for her to run or to jump down into the river below, but she couldn't, not without him.

A pained gasp came from her uncle, and the girl watched with wide eyes as one of the Orcs, the leader she had assumed, pulled his twisted sword out from her uncle. The dwarf fell to his knees gasping, and she wailed, tears flowing down her cheeks. He fell face forward to the ground, and there was no sign of life coming from him. Her hands came to her mouth, stifling her wails and moans of shock and grief.

One of the Orcs turned on her without her notice, raising its bow and releasing an arrow. It cut through the air and she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen; her breath stopped and she looked down to see the dark wood embedded into her, feeling blood run beneath her dress. Her steps faltered, and she fell backwards, down into the ravine. Darkness took her before she hit the rushing water, and the Orcs watched as she was swept away with the current.


	3. Blue Eyes

"I'd advise that you don't touch that, Master Kili," Gandalf sternly said without turning around.

The dwarf behind him took his hand back and stood up from his crouched position. He had a slight frown on his features.

"Why?"

"Because _that_ is hemlock. It could kill a man in an instant, and we don't want that on our hands now do we?"

Kili took a few sharp steps back, looking at the plant as if it were a rotting animal. Some feet behind him, the rest of the company sat on rocks smoking their pipes or filled their water-skins in the flowing creek nearby. The ponies grazed on the long, wet grasses along the creek; the hobbit was petting one of them, cooing incoherent things. The young dwarf had noticed that Bilbo strayed away from the company, apart from asking a question or two to Balin or Bofur. Kili couldn't help but pity him, for the hobbit looked and seemed to feel out of place .

Kili turned away from the deadly plant and sat under the shade of a tree. He placed the bow and quivers he had strapped to his back on the dirt floor, leaning against the bark that had been warmed by the afternoon sun. They had only stopped for a brief rest, stretching their legs after the discomfort of sitting on ponies for hours - well, for Bilbo and Balin at least.

"Kili," the voice of his brother met his ears and he looked up.

Fili walked the short distance to him and threw something towards the dark-haired dwarf. Kili caught it with an expert hand, taking a bite from what was the bread roll. He ripped a piece off and offered it to his brother who plopped down beside him.

"Our burglar will have quite a fit upon discovering his rolls missing," Kili smirked.

The blonde dwarf looked at him from the corner of his eye before returning his gaze to the other dwarves.

"He won't miss it that much."

Kili shook his head with a small smile and swallowed the rest of the bread roll. Even with the thought of their food eventually running out on their journey, it still didn't hinder his persistence to keep going. Surely, this would impress his uncle.

Well, perhaps just a little.

It was only half a day into the journey and the young prince could not help but feel impatient. There was no action here, on the border of the Shire, and it was so quiet. Kili appreciated the peacefulness, but there was an energy running through him, begging him to get off his feet and explore or spend the time having target practice. Nothing kept him grounded in the moment and he was just so _bored_.

Fili, however, seemed content with the moment, shoulder to shoulder with his little brother and letting the light breeze cool his face from the heat of summer's day. He was the patient and more rational of the two brothers; one could simply look at them and know that they were night and day.

"On your feet," Thorin called, already setting off to mount his pony. "We shouldn't waste what is left of the day."

Kili was up first, offering a hand to pull the blond dwarf up with him. This wasn't exactly very exciting, he thought to himself as he and the others mounted their ponies, but at least they were moving once again. Daisy, his pony, neighed softly below him and the dwarf rubbed her neck with affection. Like Bilbo, he had a soft spot for the ponies. The more they had ventured east of the Shire, the more the woods around them had thickened. Despite the quiet of the woods, the company itself had carried the noise, much like a flock of geese did when they flew from winter's harsh winds across the sky. Balin and Dori conversed with each other some feet away while Thorin spoke quietly with the gray wizard. Behind him, Kili could hear Bilbo sneezing and muttering about horsehair and allergies and whatnot.

Craning his neck, he peered through the top of the trees to look at the blue sky. There were clouds, dark and steadily approaching the company. Kili shut his eyes and breathed in the air, his senses letting him know that rain was coming. As if reading his thoughts, Fili sighed beside him.

"It'll be pouring soon," said the blond dwarf, taking a glance at the darker haired dwarf before looking back up to the sky.

"Good," Kili ran his a hand over his jaw; his palm only met scruff instead of a beard that all the dwarves had. "It's about time we've had some rain."

Fili made a distasteful noise. "I'd prefer not to be soaking wet."

"Appreciate that it's not snow, Fee."

With another great sigh and the slight roll of his eyes, Fili reached over the short distance to shove his brother's shoulder. It wasn't enough to push him off his pony, but it made him grip the reins tighter. Kili turned away from the blond dwarf with a small smile and basked in what was left of the sun before it could be snuffed out by the clouds, letting it warm his face. He couldn't help but close his eyes again in comfort from the gentle rays. For once, the summer sun wasn't harsh and chose to be gracious on the first day of the journey. It wasn't long before the first few drops splashed onto Kili's nose, causing him to open his eyes to a darkened sky.

The few drops turned into many, lightly pelting the company, until those drops turned into a heavy shower. Many of the dwarves grumbled, pulling the hoods of their cloaks over their heads to shield themselves even if it was all to no avail. The rain had seeped through Kili's hood and dampened his scalp; it made him shiver, but it wasn't enough to bother him.

From up front he heard Dori say, "Here, Mr. Gandalf? Can't you do something about this deluge?"

"It is raining, master dwarf," Gandalf sighed, and Kili could feel his annoyance from feet away. "And it will continue to rain until the rain is done! If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard."

Kili snickered to himself when he saw Dori's face burn through the downpour. After the exchange, he heard the hobbit enquire about other the wizards that were in Middle Earth before their voices became nothing but mere hums in the background. The wind blew harshly across his wet face, chilling him instantly. Kili tried to blink the drops off his eyelashes and he started to resent his thoughts of a rain to cool the summer heat. It only seemed to make his skin frigid and his teeth chatter a bit. Rain was rare in the summer when the company had dwelled in Ered Luin; it had usually poured when it came to harvest time and when the leaves had started to change their colors. There was many a time when Kili had always wished for rain to cool the land during the heat, but when it did rain, he remembered how cold it'd be.

"What were you saying about the rain, dear brother?" Fili taunted beside him. The tips of his braids dripped, and when he spoke, water dripped into his mouth. Kili would've laughed had he not been drenched himself.

"Shut it," Kili grimaced, wiping his wet brow.

The ponies trotted through the mud and puddles, farther into the woods where the company could hear the rushing of water through the downpour. Soon enough they were walking beside it, the reeds and cattails waving through the wind. The rain had grown relentless and the dwarves were grumbling upon their ponies; Gandalf had remained quiet as well as Bilbo, apart from the hobbit's sniffles and sneezes.

The river had begun to grow closer to them as they walked along it. When Kili glanced at its speed and rushing water, it reminded him of the dark blue sheets that would wave in the wind when the dwarrowdams hung them to dry. The closer the dark-haired dwarf looked, the more he started to see the river threatening to spill over the river bank.

"The river," Kili called. "It may overflow."

Some of the dwarves looked to their side, and Balin had replied from ahead, "Aye, it'd be best to stray farther from it."

The company had reached a part of the bank where some feet away were rocks and a tall, crooked tree leaning over the rushing water. The grass had stopped growing feet away from the river's edge, and all there was was light, loose brown sand. The large rocks were few and littered the sides of the bank; but one object was different.

Kili squinted through the rain, wondering what had caught his attention. It lay half in the water and half in the mud, and Kili shuddered upon realizing that this was not any part of nature. The water and ground was stained with red and the young dwarf's grip tightened on the reins of his pony.

"Thorin!" Kili called, snapping the reins for his pony to ride up beside his uncle.

His uncle flashed him a look of concern at his nephew's sudden outburst. "What is it?"

The dark haired dwarf's gaze stayed at the river bank, his insides chilled as much as his wet skin.

"Someone's there."

The dwarves strained their eyes to see through the rain, and sure enough they could see a person along the riverbank.

"Master Kili is correct," Gandalf spoke, his bushy brows coming together in a frown. "Something is wrong."

The company had slowed their pace, and Thorin turned to nod at Dwalin at his side, as well as his nephews and Oin, their healer. The four rode their ponies ahead of the company, puddles and mud splashing about their hooves. Dwalin swung off his pony first and strode over to the person on the bank. The bald dwarf edged closer with caution, a deep frown decorating his rugged face. The dwarf brothers had followed close behind, Kili with balled fists and Fili with his hand set upon the hilt of his sword for precaution.

Oin brushed past the three towards the figure just as the company made it towards the small group, yet no one dismounted apart from Thorin and Gandalf. Oin knelt down; it was, indeed, just as Kili had said. It was a person. They were faced down onto the earth, and had wet hair so dark that it could've been mistaken for black. Its brown cloak was stained a dark red as well as the ground beneath them. Oin reached for the shoulder and pulled the person to lie on their back, and him as well as a few other dwarves took an intake of breath.

"It's... It's a _girl_!" Dwalin respired, just as Oin had exclaimed, "A dwarrowdam!"

Stunned murmurs were exchanged in the background, for among the dwarven folk, while female dwarves had always been present, they weren't common. But still, it was a shock for the company to have one of their kind so far from the Iron Hills or Ered Luin lying presumably dead beside the river. However, the four dwarves and the wizard were closest to see the palpable difference this dwarrowdam had from others: she was hairless. Unlike the dwarrowdams the dwarves had ever seen or met, this one had no beard or thick facial hair beside her full head of hair and delicate eyebrows.

Unaware of his own movements, Kili inched closer and stood close behind their healer. His eyes traveled to her face, taking in the pale skin, pale as snow, her slightly pointed ears-which was strange to Kili- and high cheekbones. Had she not looked like death, Kili was sure that she would have a lovely blush upon her cheeks. The only thing that did stain her cheeks was blood and dirt and rainwater. The young dwarf had grown up seeing dwarrowdams with light or heavy hair, and had spent time with a dwarrowdam or two before he had left, but never in his years had he seen one like the dwarrowdam on the riverbank.

"By Mahal..." The old dwarf muttered, and Kili flickered to where Oin's hands had hovered near her abdomen. An arrow was embedded into her flesh, where dried and fresh blood had stained the fabric of her dark green dress. The end had broken off and what was left stuck out.

Kili swallowed thickly before asking, "Is she...dead?"

Oin put two fingers to the girl's neck and frowned. The dwarves waited while the rain filled the silence until the healer pulled his hand away. Thorin had come to stand behind Oin, his face blank from any emotion.

"Well?" Fili had asked.

"She's alive," Oin said. "But just barely."

"What do you presume had happened?" Dwalin asked, arms crossed over his broad chest. His mouth was set in a grim line.

"An attack, perhaps," Gandalf had voice, leaning onto his staff. "She may have fallen into the river. Poor girl must have barely escaped the current and washed onto the bank."

The air felt heavy for a moment, each dwarf having visions of their own assumptions as to what had happened. Bilbo had exchanged a look with Bofur, whose usual chipper face was wrinkled with worry.

"Can't you do anything?" Kili turned to the old dwarf with a frown on his face. "She'll die if we leave her here. She will bleed to death."

"Aye, it is possible, but it may take some time. Days at most."

"We do not have days to waste," Thorin said. "We cannot waste time on her."

The dwarves looked at Thorin with slight bewilderment. It wasn't like the dwarf to brush away his own kin. The blond nephew frowned at his uncle and he took notice of the dark look set into his blue eyes.

"Have you gone mad?" Fili took a step towards his uncle. "We cannot leave her, Uncle."

"Have you not noticed?" Thorin turned to look at his nephew. He pointed to the unconscious girl at their feet. "Do you not see that she is a child of Mirkwood?"

The dwarves closest to the girl turned their gazes towards her. It was then that they had finally realized when their attention settled at the pendant at her neck. It was a piece of silver, bent and shaped into a symbol of the Elves of Mirkwood. Kili had frowned, knowing the scorn his uncle had for the elves that had abandoned his kin so long ago; through the stories Thorin had told Fili and Kili when they were just boys, Kili had detested the elves. Now, though, when he looked at the dying girl, his animosity towards the elves wavered as his conscience had peaked.

"Still," Kili looked at Thorin in the eyes. "We cannot leave her to die."

Thorin's expression did not expose anything, and he only turned away and walked back to mount his pony.

"The boy is right, Thorin," Oin called from his place beside the girl.

"I will not have our journey forsaken for a Mirkwood child."

"You do not know for certain whether or not she is an offspring of an elf," Fili tried to reason with his uncle.

Thorin's dark look subsided into a glare. "Have you not seen her face, nephew? What of her ears, her lack of beard? She is not one of us." His glare was then directed to the girl. "

Dwalin had let out a sigh and spoke up, "I agree with Thorin. One with elf blood, especially that of Mirkwood, has no place amongst us."

"But she is that of a dwarf as well," Gandalf intervened. "She may be the descendant of those you despise, but that does not mean you abandon your fellow dwarf to meet their last breath."

Thorin locked his jaw and, once again, the dark look passed through his features. He was silent for a moment, the eyes of his company passing between him, the wizard, and the girl by the river bank. His eyes met Kili's, and the young dwarf had a look of plead; his nephew was adamant on this, and he could not be surprised. The young, dark haired dwarf was one with a soft heart. Thorin had sighed eventually, and turned his attention to Oin.

"Bind her wound," he said, and then he turned to look at his dark haired nephew with a grim face. "I will not be held responsible if anything happens to the girl. She stays until she is healed. Until then, she is your responsibility. Is that understood?"

Kili nodded, relaxing his features at his uncle's approval. "Understood."

The rain had stopped after a while, making way for a clear sky although the earth had still smelled damp. The ponies trotted through the forest, steering clear of the river until they had eventually lost sight of it. The sun had cast streaks of orange and pink across the sky as it had to set. Fireflies had sprung from behind their hiding places and fluttered around the company, and one had landed on Kili's wrist. He frowned and swatted it away, watching the insect hover around him and his pony before landing right on the shoulder of the girl lying in front of him.

After Oin had pulled the arrow out and cleaned and binded her wound, the young woman had ultimately been placed under Kili's eye. She was cold. The moment Kili had lifted her into his arms, he was struck by how cold she was from the river water and loss of blood. Their unexpected addition had lead to her sharing Kili's pony. Her head rested against Daisy's neck, eyes closed and covered by the dark haired dwarf's cloak. Kili's arms held the reins around her as a rail to keep her from falling off. The whole time, she had not stirred nor shown any sign of waking; it had worried Kili and Oin. To reassure himself and the others that she was alive, Kili checked her breath and the pulse at her neck.

He swatted the firefly away, watching it fly away into the trees before turning his gaze back onto the path. The company had neared a rocky hill that was hidden by the trees just as the sun had nearly set; there was a cliff with a circle of rocks that looked over the hills and part of the forest.

Thorin had stopped and dismounted his pony, the others following his action. "We shall camp here tonight. Ori, find some wood so Gloin can make a fire."

Fili had swung off his pony and stood beside his brother's with his arms raised to take the unconscious girl, so that Kili could get down from his pony. The darker haired brother held his arms out, saying, "I'll take her."

"You've had her all day," Fili said. "Why don't you res-"

"It's fine." Kili rolled his eyes before taking the girl into his arms. Her head rolled onto his shoulder and he noticed that she wasn't as chilled as before.

The dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf had already sat on the earth around Gloin who was trying to start a fire. Oin had ushered Kili to a spot near the fire where a bed roll was already spread out for the girl.

"Easy, lad," Oin said as he held the girl's head while Kili carefully laid her down. The dwarf put a hand against her forehead and checked her pulse with the other. "Pulse is still weak, but better than before. However, she is getting warm; I suspect a fever may come unless I whip up a remedy of sorts."

"Will she be alright?" Kili had asked with a worried frown.

The old dwarf sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Time will only tell."

Kili nodded, shooting the girl one last look before sitting near his brother against a large boulder. The company had sat conversing with one another or sitting silently as they waited for Bomber to make supper. Gandalf sat on a rock alone, smoking his pipe and looking deep in thought. The hobbit sat alone as well, seeing that he still felt rather awkward around the dwarves, particularly Thorin.

Bomber had served a supper of a hot beef and carrot stew, flavorful and rich. It would be wise to use whatever meat they had soon before it could rot. As Kili ate, he looked up from his bowl and across the crackling fire to where the girl still lay unawake. Out of conscience, he left his spot and asked Bombur for seconds. The large dwarf glanced over at the girl and back to the dwarf before him, shooting him a knowing smile and served Kili another bowl. Kili wrapped it in a cloth and hid the bowl under his bed roll for safe keeping.

Supper had left the company with satisfied smiles and warm bellies, and they retreated to either sleep or sit around the fire to smoke their pipes. Kili blew circles of smoke from his mouth and from the corner of his eye, he saw Bilbo feed an apple to his pony and coo to her. He smirked; the hobbit thought he was being rather sneaky when he really wasn't. The dwarf had put out his pipe before stuffing it back into his pack and leaning against the wall.

A strangled howl, very much like a scream, far from the camp had tore through the night, making the hobbit jump. He backed away from the ponies and towards Fili and Kili, who seemed to be the only ones awake besides Gandalf.

"What was that?" He had asked, worry laced within his voice.

Fili had exchanged a quick glance with his younger brother, and both smirked.

"Orcs," Kili had answered in a grave voice, and as quick as his answer came another terrible howl.

"Orcs?" The hobbit frowned.

"Throat-cutters," Fili said. Kili had watched with amusement and wanted very much to laugh at Bilbo's frightened face. "There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep," Kili looked Bilbo in the eye as he spoke. "Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood."

As Bilbo turned away with a look of dread on his face, Kili and Fili looked at each other and laughed quietly to themselves. Kili couldn't stifle his laughter until a small, shaking voice, so quiet that it could've been mistaken for wind, tore him away from the moment.

"Please stop."

Kili's face fell as well as Fili's, and both brothers as well as Bilbo and Gandalf looked up and over to the small figure laying beside the fire. Kili rose and took a few hesitant steps forward.

"Are...are you awake?" Kili dared to ask.

There were a few sniffles, and the dwarf was sure that she wouldn't speak again until he heard, "The orcs...are the orcs here?"

He felt the others' eyes on him as he stepped around the fire and towards the girl. The closer he had gotten, the more he saw the girl shaking under the cloak. He knelt down and kept a safe amount of space between them. Her eyes were shut closed, but he could see the drops of unspilled tears gathered around her long eyelashes.

"No, no, there are no orcs here," Kili tried to reassure the girl who seemed to be frightened for her life by the way her voice had quivered before. "We...we were only having a bit of fun-"

"You think that's funny?" All but the girl had turned their gazes up to see Thorin who was no longer asleep. Instead, he had a hard look on his face. "You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?"

Kili swallowed. "We didn't mean anything by it."

"No, you didn't," Thorin said darkly, before walking away to look off into the distance. "You know nothing of the world."

Balin had come towards Kili and Fili, hands behind his back, telling them to not take their uncle's words so hard and that it was just Thorin's deep animosity towards the orcs. The white bearded dwarf had went on about the Battle of Azanulbizar, catching the dwarves attention as one by one had woken up to listen, but Kili heard nothing. Instead, he had sat beside the girl who still shook and kept her eyes tightly shut. Sudden guilt had flooded him, and never knew how someone so scared could look so small.

He had leaned close for only her to hear his voice.

"I apologize," Kili said quietly. "If I had offended you or frightened you, that was not at all my intention. I apologize if I had caused you distress."

She sniffed in reply, and she had frowned. Kili sighed to himself, looking away and towards the dwarves who had stared in awe at his uncle once Balin had finished the tale. He realized that he had already left a terrible impression on the girl and it had only taken a few seconds. He was surprised to hear her quiet voice reply.

"Everything hurts," she whimpered, and Kili turned back with his brows scrunched together with worry.

"It's alright," Kili tried to reassure her. "We have a healer. I will fetch him."

Kili had risen from the ground and crossed the distance towards Oin, who was making his way back to his bed roll.

"She is awake," Kili wasted no time in telling him.

The old dwarf's brows rose in surprise as well as the others who were close enough to hear them. Not one of them had expected the dwarrowdam to wake up. Kili watched Oin head in the direction of the campfire and, with a sigh, the dark haired dwarf retreated to his brother's side. When Oin had reached the girl's side, Gandalf had retracted his hand from her forehead. He leaned heavily on his staff and blew out a puff of smoke from his pipe.

"I have temporarily rid her of the pain so that she may sleep comfortably," he said. "Unfortunately, when she wakes, it will prove to be difficult for her to sustain her equilibrium of health."

"Your assistance is appreciated, Mister Gandalf," Oin nodded towards him.

From below, her voice was barely more than a whisper. The wizard had never heard anyone so quiet.

"Thank...thank you..."

Gandalf smiled down at the girl who had finally opened her eyes and inclined his head. "You're very welcome, my dear. Sleep well."

The wizard had walked away after nodding to Oin so he, too, could rest. The old dwarf knelt down and gripped his listening horn to his ear; he doubted that he would be able to hear the girl now that he knew she was barely audible. From the pouch hanging on his side, he produced some vials.

"How do you feel, lass?"

She opened her eyes and frowned. "Not well, I'm afraid."

"Don't worry," he uncorked them and tapped dark red herbs into one vial and swirling it around. "This will help your recovery.

After a moment, she turned her head to look at the dwarf again. "Where am I?"

Oin flashed her glance and then back up to the vials. "Why, the company of Thorin Oakenshield, of course."

Her brows furrowed together and she nodded, closing her eyes again.

"Can you lift your head for a moment?" He asked as he flicked the contents of the vial. She gave him a small nod and lifted her head so that should drink whatever herbal remedy Oin had concocted. She grimaced and coughed.

"This should keep your fever at bay," he said and stood up. "Get some rest, lassie."

"Thank you," she told him.

* * *

The dwarves were all asleep apart from Kili, who sat awake beside his snoring brother to take first watch. The summer air had cooled down because of the rain, making it comfortable to sleep. The crickets were chirping and the fireflies hovered in the trees. The fire cracked, emitting a soothing warmth around the camp that left everyone at peace.

Kili was looking up at the sky, taking note of all the stars that shined and twinkled. They were rather lovely, he thought, and for a moment he wondered if these were the same stars he would gaze at from Ered Luin. It seemed that the stars were brighter than the ones from home, and Kili wanted nothing more than to climb up into a tree to get closer to the sky.

From a feet away, he caught sight of the girl turning carefully on her side with a pained look on her face. Careful not to wake his brother, Kili rose and relieved the bowl of stew from its hiding spot. He took quiet steps to cross the short distance, but she still heard him. Kili froze in his step when she looked at him, and he was struck by the color of her now open eyes.

Starlight shined on orbs of blue, ever so bright and deep that they resembled opals mined in the Blue Mountain. These eyes seemed impossible, for they were sky on the darkest of nights with golden galaxies. They were all these beautiful things and Kili wondered how such a creature could be blessed with these eyes.

He found his head, and cleared his throat as stepped forward with the bowl in hand. He sat on his knees before her, and tried to give her a warm smile.

"I'm afraid it is not hot anymore," he said, setting the bowl beside her. "But you must be hungry."

Her gaze flickered between him and the stew before she uttered a quiet, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," he couldn't help but chuckle quietly. "Thank Bombur."

Her lips turned up in a small smile before her face slowly fell. Her eyes left Kili's face and off towards the sky. A breath left his puffed cheeks, and he made himself comfortable on the ground. Kili cleared his throat again, and the dwarrowdam met his eyes again. A shiver ran down his spine; her eyes still struck the dwarf.

"How are you faring?" He asked.

She hesitated a moment, eyes moving across his face before settling on his eyes again. "Bearable, but weak."

The dwarf prince chewed on the inside of his cheek, choosing his words carefully.

"I suppose it was because you had lost a lot blood; you barely escaped death."

Her forehead creased by her frown. She nodded, looking away towards the small fire. She looked deep in thought, and Kili had no doubt that she was reliving what had happened to her. He had enough sense and courtesy to not enquire about the events that lead to her wound, and thought it best to ask her later in a later time.

"What is your name?" Kili asked her abruptly. The shy look she gave him made the tips of his ears heat.

A silence had filled the air for a few moments before she had answered softly. She was so quiet that Kili barely understood.

"Estel."

Kili smirked a bit, and decided that he liked how her name sounded, although it was unfamiliar.

"Your name... I don't believe it is dwarvish," Kili said, and she, Estel, shook her head to confirm his observation. "I assume it is Elvish?"

She shot him a questioning look before he gestured to the pendant around her neck. "A symbol of the Mirkwood elves."

The girl, Estel, opened her mouth as if to say something, only to shut it and avert her gaze. Kili could see the unease wash over her and he sent her a reassuring smile. Kili had sensed her discomfort at the mentioning of the elves, and for a moment he pondered how she would've reacted when Thorin was speaking so ill towards them. She looked up at him that through her lashes and seemed to relax her shoulders.

"My name," she said. "It is 'hope'."

Kili smiled kindly at her. "Had you taken a dwarvish name, it would be 'Karut'." She scrunched up her nose in distaste for the dwarvish version, and Kili couldn't help but chuckle. "But I think the Elvish translation sounds much better." He paused for a moment. "Do you… know our… our language?"

He was curious. A girl such as her… She was visibly different, and obviously one of them. Yet, he was slightly skeptical like his uncle, although he was not too deep in a cauldron of animosity. If she had ties to Mirkwood, then was she really like them?

Estel frowned and nodded. "Of course, I do. All dwarves know Khudzul."

"But not all dwarves are like you," he said.

She pondered over his words in her head for a moment with a thoughtful look, then she gave him a soft, humorful smile. "I suppose not," she laughed.

Kili's insides warmed when he heard the soft laugh that had fluttered from her lips. It was like the chimes his mother hung beside his window when he was just a babe.

"What do they call you?" Estel said to him.

"Kili," he answered her.

She nodded. "Kili," she repeated his name as if committing it to memory.

A snore from one the dwarves pulled Kili out of the small exchange between the two of them. With a sigh, Kili stood up and brushed the dirt of his breeches.

"I should finish my watch," he told her. "You must rest now."

She gave him one last nod, pulling the cloak, _his_ cloak, closer around her. Kili smiled and gave her a small bowl.

"Till tomorrow, Miss Estel," he said.

She returned his smile. "Till tomorrow, Mister Kili."

He left her and walked around the fire to a rock that overlooked the forest after retrieving his bow from his still sleeping brother's side. He sat down, feeling a sudden warmth and he glanced at the young woman who was now asleep. His lips turned up and he huffed out a breath, shaking his head before looking back up at the woods.


	4. Heat

Estel had woken up to a terrible, sharp pain, and she flung her eyes open as a pained whimper escaped her lips. Her head began to throb and a wave of uncomfortable heat swept over her. Her lungs were filled with fire with every breath. Her ears were met with talking and the banging of a few pots, and her vision had cleared to see the old dwarf from the night before and the kind wizard above her.

"Apologies, lass," Oin had said, and he had taken his hands back from her abdomen. "Didn't mean to startle you."

She frowned, and another wave of sickness flooded her. She swallowed thickly and clenched her teeth, the pain becoming an insistent stabbing. Estel couldn't remember anything as horrific as the pain she was in, at least not physically. It felt like the weight of a huge boulder crushing her and all she could do was lay there. Sweat had glistened her forehead as the torridity of her skin left her flushed. Oin had set the back of his hand against her forehead, pulling away with a look of worry implanted on his face.

"Her fever has risen," he said to the bearded wizard. "I fear it may get worse at this rate."

The old man let out a sigh, and knelt down beside the girl, putting a large, wrinkled hand against her cheek. Estel felt something tingle, expecting whatever he had did for her the night before to take effect, but nothing had happened. She still felt quite ill.

"Strange…" he muttered.

"What is it, Gandalf?" Oin asked quickly.

"Not a drop of my magic will ease her pain or that fever of hers," Gandalf frowned. "Strange. It had worked last night."

"What does this mean?"

The urgency of his voice had caught the attention of dwarves around them. Thorin, too, had craned his head away from the sword he was sharpening and listened. Kili, standing some feet away with Bofur and Bilbo, frowned and glanced from Estel's paling face to the wizard.

"This wound," he said. "Show it to me."

Oin hesitated a moment before moving to remove the cloak off her small frame. Estel had watched with frightened eyes after listening to the worry in Gandalf's voice. Oin had been kind enough to only tear a hole wide enough in her dress for him to tend to the wound, wrapping the dressing around her waist and keeping her decent. Carefully, he unwrapped it until the wound had been exposed to the air and the dwarf's eyes widened in apprehension.

"As I thought," Gandalf had said.

Estel couldn't bear to look at what had the dwarf and wizard so troubled. The place where the arrow had pierced her had turned the surrounding skin a dark, festering black. The area was the size of a fist and had spidery veins of darkness branching out. There was no doubt that it would spread over her torso.

"Who attacked you?" Gandalf asked the girl, whose fever left cold chills run through her.

Estel frowned, averting her gaze as her lip began to quiver. She could feel the emotion run through her when her mind took her back to the day before, the screams and fear paralyzing her.

"My dear girl, we must know," Gandalf told her. The persistent yet calm voice and forced her eyes back to him.

Her throat moved when she swallowed and in a shaking voice, she answered, "The Orcs... my caravan… they're all gone."

Stunned murmurs were exchanged between the company. Kili's dark eyes burned with enmity upon hearing the name of the vile creatures.

"I see," Gandalf had let his palm hover over her wound, his brows furrowed. "This arrow that had pierced you was laced with something dark."

"Poison?" Oin suggested. "Perhaps it was nightshade?"

Gandalf shook his head. "No... I fear it may be a dark, dark magic. But how this came by the Orcs, is the question."

Thorin had stepped forward and Estel had unconsciously shrunk under the cloak, feeling unsettled by his cold, hard features.

"What business do the Orcs have with you?" He asked. "What would they want with a half-breed?"

"Uncle..." Kili stepped forward.

Estel had turned her face away from his gaze. The intensity of his stare could have burned holes into her skin. Gandalf cleared his throat, shooting the dwarf king a stern look.

"Now, Thorin, we know not if she was a target-"

"Orcs may be relentless monsters, but they always have a purpose," Thorin snapped, and diverted his attention back to the dark haired girl before him. "Now, I ask you again. Why would the Orcs attack your caravan?"

Estel's eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she closed her eyes. No matter how many intakes of air she took, she could not rid the feeling of despair and dread within her. Her uncle's words haunted her, and whatever the Orcs wanted must hold some purpose. There was something they wanted, and any creature of evil that sought out a girl such as herself… Well, then she was a creature that trailed danger behind her.

"I...I cannot tell you," she murmured.

This angered Thorin greatly, and he took a step closer to her saying, "I demand to know why-"

"I urge you to stop, Thorin," Gandalf said as he rose from the ground, placing himself between the dwarf and the sick girl. "This is not the time nor place for such matters. What does matter, at the moment, is aiding the young lady."

He sent a hard look to the dwarf and the company watched the two stare each other down. With a huff, Thorin turned away, calling out, "We head out now. I will not lose this light of day."

Gandalf watched the stubborn dwarf walk away and he couldn't help but sigh. The heir to Erebor was hard headed, impulsive, and so keen on keeping the blood of Estel in mind. Gandalf could not help but feel hopeless in coaxing the dwarf king into being kinder as well having an open minded. The dwarf, however, had other priorities than opening up his heart to misfits.

"What will happen to me?" Gandalf pulled his eyes away from Thorin's back and down to Estel's tear-filled eyes. Her voice had quivered and he knew not if was because of her fever or the fear of an immediate death.

He tried to offer her a kind, reassuring smile as he knelt back down and set a hand atop her head of dark hair. "Do not worry. You will recover in time. For now, I am afraid there is nothing I can do to lessen the pain. I can, however, keep you asleep for some hours."

Her face fell and she sniffed, blinking away the tears. At last she nodded, choosing to trust the gray wizard, seeing that she had no other choice. Estel, with Gandalf standing at her side, watched the dwarves pack their bed rolls and stamped out the remainder of the burning embers. They had readied the ponies and Kili had come to stop at Estel side.

"You have been riding with me," he said. "I trust that is all right?"

Estel had given him a nod, not bothered by the this. Perhaps it was his kindness that swayed her to bestow whatever trust she had onto him.

She let Kili place his hands on her waist and above her elbow, his grip gentle yet firm as he lifted her from the ground. She gritted her teeth and gripped the dwarf's shoulders, trying not to double over. Discomfort had flashed across her pale face, and it was clearly evident how much it pained her to move. Kili had reached down and gripped the back of her legs as he swept Estel off the ground, and she took a startled intake of breath. The dark-haired girl knew she would have blushed at his suddenness, but she was too tired and weak to have reacted, and simply rested her head against his shoulder.

He carried her to his pony, feeling the gazes of some dwarves following him as he carefully had Estel mounted at the front before swinging on top behind her. Even through the layers of clothing, Kili could feel the heat radiating off of her; the closer he looked, he could see sweat beading at her hairline. She rested against his chest with her eyes closed, even though she was awake.

Gandalf appeared at the pony's side, and Estel rolled her head to gaze up at him. He gave her a friendly smile before passing his hand over her head, and her face slacked and her body relaxed against Kili. She was fast asleep.

"Watch her, Kili," Gandalf told him with a stern look.

Kili retorted with a smirk on his face, "I won't let Miss Estel fall off."

The wizard cocked a bushy brow. "Estel?"

"That is her name. You didn't know?"

Gandalf had an unidentifiable look in his eye and Kili couldn't tell what was stirring in the wizard's mind. Gandalf let out a little huff and a small smile and walked away to mount his horse.

_Hope_, the wizard thought to himself. _We will be needing much of it._

* * *

Estel had shown no signs of getting better, causing Kili to worry. As their ponies trotted through the forest, the dwarrowdam had gone a shade paler and had chills running through her. Despite her unconscious state, she had a look of discomfort. Kili's cloak could not keep her warm and no matter how many times Oin would place a wet cloth upon her forehead, her skin would still be on fire. Fili would sometimes have the girl riding with him to let his brother have a short break, even if the dark-haired dwarf protested. The older brother noticed the frown on Kili's face when he pulled Estel onto his pony, and it was clearly obvious that Kili had grown protective and concerned.

When they had stopped for a brief rest, Gandalf had approached the sleeping girl. All knew that the girl wouldn't have much time left, even though the wizard, the healer and the young brothers wouldn't admit it to themselves. It just seemed that death was all too real if they had. Oin had run out of options; no herbal remedy could heal something so dark. The others had expected Gandalf to lose hope as well, but the wizard had a trick up his sleeve, one that he wasn't quite sure would work.

They had her lay under the shade of a tree, and Kili thought she looked so small beneath his cloak. Oin was wiping her brow with a wet rag when the wizard approached him. He had knelt beside the girl and the healer watched with curious eyes and had not uttered a word. Gandalf had placed his hand against Estel's abdomen, closing his eyes as his brows came together in concentration. He had muttered under his breath, a chant, and his voice slowly grew louder and the dwarves and the hobbit had craned their heads to watch. Kili moved to take a closer look but Fili held him back to give Gandalf room.

The wizard looked pale as he pulled away, but the color returned to his face after a few moments. Fili had finally released his brother's arm and Kili was by Oin's side. He peered over his shoulder to see that Estel did not look as sickly as before, and her breathing seemed to be easier.

"What did you do?" Kili turned to Gandalf.

Gandalf brought his eyes from Estel to the young dwarf. "I simply shared the darkness within her," he said as if it were so common. "I gave her some strength to hold on to."

"But what about you, Gandalf?" Oin frowned. "You will become ill; what if it manifests within you?" The wizard waved his hand, "I am fine; light magic will always triumph against darkness. Now we must move on from this place."

Gandalf steadied himself upon his staff, wobbling a bit, and returned to his horse. Kili and Oin shared a look before Kili lifted her off the grass and back to his pony. Her fever had come down some, and, although her face still looked a bit pained, her pale cheeks were glowing with a pale pink. Kili was relieved as the company rode on, and thanked Mahal that there was still hope for the dwarrowdam.

The forest had thinned somewhat and the sun shined over the trees. The air had cooled some, blowing through the leaves and Kili's hair. He spit out the strands that got caught in his mouth and pulled his cloak up to Estel's neck. He shifted his eyes from the path down to her sleeping face; her dark hair lightly blew around and reach up to tickle his chin. He brought a hand to brush her hair down and framed her face; his hand had lingered until her expression shifted and she stirred. Kili quickly pulled his hand away and held onto the reign again. His face flushed and Estel carefully opened her eyes. She blinked the weariness away and groaned.

Kili thought it best to speak up, "How do you feel?"

She stiffened up in surprise and looked up at him. She frowned, sighing and craning her head to look around the forest before back to Kili. "Tired."

"And your wound?"

"The pain has lessened, but…" she trailed off and her brows furrowed in confusion. Kili sent her a questioning look before answering again. "I do not understand…"

Kili seemed to realize what she meant. "Gandalf has shared the dark magic that makes you so ill. With some hope, it may give you more time."

She nodded, closing her eyes once more and resting her head back against Kili's lower chest. The dwarf had thought her asleep again before she quietly asked him a question.

"How long till the sun sets?" Her quiet voice met his ears.

Kili looked up to the sky, catching a glimpse of the sun through the tree branches. The light blue had growing streaks of orange. "Soon."

She had a thoughtful look on her face as she nodded. She breathed in and released it slowly, closing her eyes again. Her shoulders and muscles relaxed against Kili, and he could feel her heat and breath. A strange feeling had warmed his belly, spreading over him and up to the back of his neck. He tried to focus on the path, but his gaze would trail over to her face. Her dark hair framed her face and a light sweat made her pale skin glisten; he noticed that she had the longest eyelashes he'd ever seen, reminding him of butterflies.

"I feel so very tired," she murmured.

Kili's lips turned up in a smirk. "Reasonably so. You can go back to sleep if you want to."

She shook her head, eyes still shut. "No... No, I've slept this whole day..."

"I think it'd be best if you do, in my honest opinion," he said. "You should rest."

"We'll be stopping soon, though." Estel opened her eyes, and Kili noticed that they were red from weariness, framed by the dark circles under her eyes.

Kili sighed. "When we make camp, you are to rest."

Her smile was small and she nodded. Instead of closing of her eyes, she kept them open and watched the scenery pass by. Kili watched Estel's eyes move about slowly, taking in the dwarves, lingering for a moment on Bilbo. It must've been odd to see the hobbit with a company of dwarves. She moved on to the trees and the ponies, accidentally catching Fili's eyes. The blond dwarf smiled and gave her a nod of his head. Estel's face burned and she shrunk shyly into Kili; the younger brother would've chuckled had she not been pressed against him. The girl, he noticed, seemed to be shy as a fawn. Apart from Oin and Gandalf, and Kili himself, of course, she seemed to feel comfortable.

They had approached a small piece of green land, surrounded by the thicket of the trees; the ruins of a barn made a shadow over the expanse. At the head of the company, Thorin slowed his pony to a stop and got off. The rest of the dwarves followed suit; Fili hopped down from his pony and went around to help Estel down. Fili offered her a warm smile and his hand to take.

"Fili," he said. "At your service."

Estel looked to Kili who simply nodded his head; she turned back to the blond dwarf and hesitantly took his hand as he carefully set her on her feet. Her knees nearly buckled and she gripped the dwarf's forearms, gritting her teeth. Kili had jumped down from Daisy and immediately took her from his brother.

"Can you stand?" He said.

She bit her tongue, shifting her weight to her left side away from the wound. After a moment, she nodded, holding onto Kili's shoulder.

"Are you able to walk?" Fili asked from beside her. She looked up at the dwarf and then to the ground, taking a slow, careful step; once she did, however, her knees had almost given out from the pain of moving. Even though Gandalf had aided her, Estel was still terribly weak.

"Here," Kili had scooped her up in his arms like he had done earlier before they had left. She held tight to his neck, heart jumping. Kili sensed her discomfort as she held tight to him. "Relax, I won't drop you."

Her eyes searched his face, and found it in her to trust him, loosening her arms, but keeping them around his neck in case he tripped or some other scenario met her fall. He carried her over to where the company stretched out their legs and set their belongings and supplies down. Kili gave set her down carefully onto the ground, crouching beside her to keep her up. Oin had placed a pack behind her to keep her steady. Estel sent a grateful smile to the two dwarves and let her muscles relax.

"We'll camp here for the night," Thorin had called out. "Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them."

The brothers nodded. Fili walked off to herd the ponies to graze in the forest, Kili turning to follow only to pause and shoot Estel a smile.

"Rest well," he said before catching up with Fili.

Gandalf had wandered around the ruins of the farmhouse, a deep frown set on his face. He pushed a stone over with his foot and said, "A farmer and his family used to live here."

Thorin had ignored the wizard, calling out to Oin and Gloin to start a fire for the night. The wizard had continued on, "I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley."

The leader of the company turned to Gandalf with a cold look on his face. "I have told you already, I will not go near that place," he spat out.

"Why not? The elves could help us," the gray haired man protested, waving his hand about to make his point. "We could get food, rest, advice. That girl is in need of help and healing."

"I do not need their advice," Thorin said, before getting close and adding through locked teeth, "And as for the girl's fate... She will succumb to her wound. You and I both know it. She has no chance."

Gandalf glared at the dwarf's words, shaking his head at his arrogance. He pushed the words spoken of the girl's fate aside before speaking again. "We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us..."

While Oin cleaned her wound and changed the dressings, Estel quietly watched the dwarf and wizard argue. She was suddenly nervous upon seeing the dark look that had flashed across Thorin's eyes. In fact, all had dropped what they were doing to watch the two bicker.

Gandalf had stormed away from Thorin and grumbled under his breath, his stride making his robes billow out behind him. Bilbo had taken a few steps forward, forehead wrinkled in worry.

"Everything alright?" The hobbit asked. "Gandalf, where are you going?"

"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense," the wizard replied.

"Who's that?"

"Myself, Mr. Baggins! I've had enough of dwarves for one day."

And with that, Gandalf walked away angrily and disappeared into the forest. Estel's lips turned down in a frown and worry had laced with her exhaustion. She only hoped for the kind wizard to return soon. Thorin had bitterly demanded Bombur to start making supper and he, too, stomped off. The air around them was so thick that it was possible for it to be sliced with a knife.

Bilbo asked Balin if their wizard would return, and the white haired dwarf only shrugged. Like Estel, Bilbo also hoped that Gandalf would come back soon.


	5. Watch the Ponies

Night had fallen and Gandalf still had yet to return. The crickets chirped and the stars began to shine one by one as did the moon. Estel had fallen asleep for sometime after the wizard's sudden leave, only to had been woken up by the bumbling and bustling by the company members. She was afraid to open her eyes at the thought of catching the eyes of a dwarf who wasn't Oin, Fili, and Kili. The dwarves intimidated her, especially Thorin and Dwalin, being burly and rugged without so much as letting a smile creep up onto their faces. The hobbit fellow, however, seemed rather kind and timid; timid as she was, actually, or perhaps less so.

A wonderful, rich smell wafted into the night air, travelling around Estel and tickling her nose. She decided to open her eyes a fraction, letting her eyelashes shield her pupils. In front of her was the crackling fire, and over that was a cauldron. For a moment she wondered where in Middle Earth they had found a cauldron that large; she certainly didn't remember the dwarves carrying that on their ponies. Then again, she didn't remember very much of her journey so far. Estel opened her eyes the rest of the way, blinking away all the sleep and lazily trailing her gaze about her surroundings.

"You're awake," a rather chipper voice said from above. "It's about time!"

Estel looked up from the fire to see one of the dwarves holding some wooden bowls in his hands. He wore a strange floppy hat, and he had a kind smile. She sensed that he wouldn't be one to give her a cold shoulder, but she still was hesitant and seemed to shrink under his bright gaze.

"You must be hungry," he said, and handed her a bowl of some steaming broth. "Here."

She carefully sat up, minding her wound. Her eyes shifted from his hand to his face; the dwarf looked her with the utmost amiableness, telling her that he only had good intentions. Estel eventually took the warm bowl from him. "Thank you..."

"Bofur," he grinned before nodding his head; she still had yet to learn all their names. "At your service. Now you just eat your supper, and I'll be right back."

She watched him return to the cauldron and a rather large, redheaded dwarf reached for the ladle. Bofur swatted his hand away and told him that he had enough as Bilbo approached them with a glum face. The hobbit pointed out to the hatted dwarf that Gandalf had been gone for a while.

Bofur gave him a reassuring smile. "He's a wizard! He does as he chooses," he said and handed the hobbit two bowls of soup. "Here, do us a favor: take this to the lads."

With a sigh, Bilbo walked into the forest to give the two brothers their dinner. It occurred to Estel that she may not see them till morning; a sinking feeling in her stomach made her frown.

Bofur sat down beside her with his own bowl. "You're not eating?"

She had forgotten the bowl resting on her lap and took up a spoonful. The warmth of the soup went down her throat, and she sighed contentedly. It had been a while since she had last ate. She quietly finished her supper beside Bofur until the bowl lay empty in her lap.

"Thank you," she said softly.

He smiled and pulled out his pipe. "Glad you enjoyed it."

He pinched some pipe weed from a small, leather pouch and stuffed it into the end of his pipe. He lit the end with a flaming twig from the fire, breathing in from one end. After blowing smoke out from his nostrils, he turned his head to the young dwarrowdam.

"Now, I'm afraid I don't know your name."

"Estel," she replied.

"Estel," Bofur nodded. "Lovely name." He breathed another lungful from his pipe. "I see our Kili has taken to you, Miss Estel."

Her cheeks tinged with a light pink and she looked down at her hands. "He is kind to me... and I greatly appreciate his concern. And please, Estel is fine."

Bofur smiled. "How do you feel now?"

"Alright, I suppose," she replied. "But the wound still hurts. It makes it hard to move, but Oin is trying his best although I am very undeserving of your company's help."

"Now, don't you say that," Bofur said. "We wouldn't leave any of our kin to suffer."

"Some would think otherwise..." she trailed off and her eyes were somewhere else.

Bofur followed her gaze to see Thorin and Dwalin as well as a few other warrior dwarves. He understood now, and the hatted dwarf sighed.

"Don't you mind them," he said. "They just let their prejudices cloud their heads. I'm sure that if they get to know you, they'll come to like you."

"Your leader has made his opinion of my heritage very clear. And you've only just started to talk to me-"

"And I already like you!" Bofur gave her a toothy smile. "We dwarves are stubborn, but that don't mean they won't learn. Whether you have elf blood or horns on your head, that does not mean you are something to be shunned."

Estel only gaped at him. Her eyes became glossy and she looked towards the crackling fire. "Thank you, Bofur. You are very kind."

"Don't thank me, lass."

He blew rings of smoke into the night air. They conversed lightly, and Bofur pointed and named every dwarf in their company. When he had told her who Thorin really was, she was amazed.

"So it is true, then?" She asked.

"What is?" The dwarf said.

"The heir of Durin travels to take back Erebor, to reclaim his throne."

Bofur nodded. "Aye, it's true. He sought out those to travel with him, to give us a home once more."

Estel chewed the inside of her cheek, taking a short glance at Thorin again. To her, she thought, he looked like royalty, the way he walked and talked. She could see how the dwarves admired him, but to her it seemed that he was missing something. She couldn't exactly say what it was that made him lack the image of a king, but it was missing.

"Word has traveled of your company's quest," Estel told him. "It had reached my caravan. My uncle thought it foolish and a dwarf's death wish to think of such things, but for myself... I think you all very brave, but the risks..."

"I understand your fears, lass, but most of us were all warriors at one point," Bofur said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We will succeed and bring home our kin-"

Suddenly there was loud rustling from the woods. All heads turned toward the noise, and a few of the dwarves had unsheathed their swords. Estel's heart jumped at the sight of the bushes and branches shaking until the two company had come running out.

Fili and Kili were short of breath when they reached the camp, and Thorin had crossed the space to his nephews.

"I thought you two were looking after the ponies," he said. "What are you two doing back here?"

"Trolls," Kili said urgently. "They... They took the ponies!"

Thorin was about to scold the two brothers, but thought better of it when he realized the trolls were a bigger threat at the moment.

"Where's Bilbo?" Ori called.

The two brothers looked at the other with grim looks on their faces. "We told him to help the ponies before we ran back to get you," Fili said.

"You sent a Halfling to do a dwarf's task?" Dwalin said.

"We weren't really thinking..." Kili admitted.

"You never think," Thorin shook his head before heading towards the woods. "Come on, you lot!"

Kili looked after his uncle with a look of hurt on his face; Fili put a hand on his brother's shoulder before following their uncle. All the dwarves left their spots except for Bofur. His worry seeped through his face and Estel knew it was because of the hobbit. Even she was beside herself.

"Go, Bofur," she said, watching the last of the dwarves run to help Bilbo and the ponies. "They need your help."

He cast her an apprehensive look. "But what about you? I can't just leave you!"

"I'll be fine," she told him. "Now please _go_."

He gave her one last look, trusting her to take care of herself, before running off. She was alone with the fire as her company. The crickets never stopped their chirping and the wind blew lightly. Estel couldn't shake the worry off her; she hoped that the dwarves were safe, that the hobbit was safe. Mahal, she even hoped that Thorin was safe.

It would've been a good time for Gandalf to be with them, and she couldn't help but feel angry at the wizard for leaving the camp. She sighed, knowing that it wasn't her place to be angry; she had only been travelling with Thorin's company for a day. If anything she had burdened them, and now that she knew of their motives for the journey, she thought that she was slowing them down.

Estel's head turned sharply towards the woods when she heard yells and shouts, and knew that it was the dwarves. She didn't know if they were captured or getting eaten one by one; the thought made her ill. She trusted Bofur when he said that most of them were experienced warriors, but she remembered that they were up against trolls. Unless the Valar were on their side, the company did not stand a chance.

She shut her eyes, trying to hold in her tears. She was worried; she was alone at the camp and she was very, very afraid. All she could think about was whether or not the dwarves or Gandalf would return, if she would ever see Oin, Bofur, or Kili again. Kili's smiling face clouded her mind, and her stomach sank at the thought of the young dwarf meeting his end at the bottom of a troll's stomach. The fear of being alone taunted the young dwarrowdam so much that she could not bear it.

With a great sigh and a small, miniscule amount of courage latching onto her thoughts, Estel tried to get onto her feet. It was hard for her, considering that she barely had any strength in her limbs. She inhaled a breath, and tried to stand fully on her own shaking legs before taking a step. She nearly fell, but regained her balance. The wound at her side screamed for her to stop, but Estel continued on, walking towards the forest. She held onto the trunks and low branches of trees that were closest to her, pushing off them to move as fast as she could.

The yells were closer, and she followed them, soon spotting an orange glow through the thick leaves and branches. She could hear a string of curses in Khuzdul, and Estel knew that she had found them. She traveled a few more feet before a terrible stench met her nose; she tried not to gag and covered her nose. Through the branches, a large revolting creature bounded in front of the fire, and Estel quickly shielded herself behind a tree. It was a troll, she realized. Her heart pounded, and she swallowed thickly. The wound was on fire and she felt tired and delirious.

There came several of the dwarves shouting and Estel had swallowed several breaths of air. She carefully craned her neck around the tree to her left, seeing a few of the dwarves tied onto a spit over a fire. Two of the trolls turned the spit slowly and one had reached for Bomber. Her eyes wandered to the rest of the dwarves, who were tied in sacks; her eyes widened upon seeing Kili and Fili yelling in anger.

"Kili... Fili," she breathed. "Oh, no..."

Her attention was drawn back when Bilbo had stood up in his sack and claimed that the dwarves were riddled with parasites. The dwarves started to shout and yell at the poor hobbit.

"Parasites, did he say parasites?" Oin exclaimed.

"We don't have parasites," Kili cried out in fury. " You have parasites!"

Estel watched as the rest of the dwarves chimed and called Bilbo a fool. Estel would have laughed had she not been so afraid. It was clear to her that he was trying to buy them time, and she looked over to see Thorin deliver a swift kick to one of the dwarves. They all became silent, realizing Bilbo's intentions before they all started to claim that they had parasites.

"I've got parasites as big as my arm," Oin said.

Kili began to exaggerate and yelled, "Mine are the biggest parasites! I've got huge parasites!"

"We're riddled," Nori cried while his brothers agreed.

Estel used the moment to come closer to the group, keeping herself hidden behind the bushes. While two of the trolls were utterly disgusted, one of them looked unconvinced.

"What would you have us do, then?" One of the trolls said. "Let 'em all go?"

Bilbo pursed his lips, before giving a helpless shrug. "Well..."

Estel peered over the top of the bushes, heart beating quickly as she watched. Bilbo was visibly shaking, and the dwarves still pulled against their restraints.

"You think I don't know what you're up to?" The troll said angrily. "This little ferret is taking us for fools!"

The troll went to reach for Bilbo, who was so afraid that he couldn't move. Estel had gasped to herself, her mind going blank as she moved up from her spot. Her whole body protested in pain, yet she ignored it, running into the light of the fire and pushing Bilbo out of the way. The troll's hand closed around her.

"Estel, no!" Someone had yelled from behind. Fili or Kili, she was unsure, but it didn't matter; she was in terrible, blinding pain.

"What are you doing, lass?" Oin cried.

She was lifted off the ground and the terrible, wretched breath of the troll almost made her faint. "What do we have here?"

"A she-dwarf?" One of them asked.

Estel pushed as hard she could against the troll's grip, but she was still held tight in its hand. An overwhelming amount of panic flooded her, and she was aware of the dwarves cries to let her go.

"Can we eat her?" A troll asked.

"No!" Kili-Estel was sure-yelled angrily. "Don't you touch her!"

"She looks a bit off, don't you think?" One of the trolls said. "Maybe she has parasites, too."

"Let them go," Estel's voice shook. "Please, don't eat them..."

"It talks!" The troll grinned mockingly.

"I beg of you," Estel said as she was close to tears. "Let them go!"

"I don't know about the looks of her " the troll at the spit said. "Looks sickly and thin. I'd dispose of her, if I was you."

"Gladly," the troll who held her said.

His grip tightened around her and he squeezed her torso. A scream scrambled out of her throat and there came shouts of anger from everywhere. It felt like her eyes and organs were going to pop right of her, and the wound reopened. She could feel blood running down her abdomen, and she was on the verge of passing out. From below, she was aware of Kili's angry cries, and the dwarves yelling and begging for the trolls to release her.

Her pained screams echoed around the camp and deafened her ears while the troll tried to squeeze her to death. Estel's body was on fire and she couldn't breathe. After a moment she quieted down and just gritted her teeth. Over the troll's shoulder, she could barely see light peeking through the trees. Suddenly, a robed figure ran up along the border and Estel felt her heart jump at the sight of the wizard.

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf had bellowed and all attention was drawn to him.

"Who's that?" The troll holding Estel said.

"No idea," one of them replied.

"Can we eat him too?" The other asked.

Gandalf struck the rock with his staff, splitting it in half, and allowing the sunlight behind it to pour into the clearing. The trolls screamed and howled in pain as the sunlight shined onto their skin. The troll released Estel, who dropped to the ground with a pained groan. All the air was pushed out of her lungs, and she struggled to breath as she watched the trolls. They began turning into stone amidst their loud, awful screams and howls of pain.

After a few moments, the company stared at the three stone statues of what were the trolls. They cheered with relief, but then all seemed to remember that Estel lay on the ground in pain. The dwarves on the spit still looked uncomfortable as well.

"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" Dwalin groaned.

"Get us down!" Dori shouted, face completely red from facing the low flames for so long.

The dwarves went about untying each other while Gandalf climbed down the rock to help the dwarves. Fili had helped Kili out of the sack and the dark-haired dwarf pushed himself out his brother's way to run to Estel.

He hit the ground on his knees and reached for her shoulders. Her eyes were closed and he was aware of the blood that seeped through the dressing on her wound.

"Estel? Estel, wake up!" He cried.

Her eyes fluttered open, and relief flooded her to see the that the dwarf was alright. "Kili..."

"Miss Estel," he sighed with relief. "Oh, you foolish girl! What were you thinking? You could've gotten yourself killed."

She tried to breath in, but sputtered and coughed. Kili frowned and pulled her into his lap and off the ground. Some of the dwarves, upon freeing themselves, crowded around the two young dwarves' sides.

"I thought I could help," she whimpered. "You were all in trouble... I couldn't just let you all die."

"Oh, lass, we know you mean well," Bofur sighed. "But you wouldn't have been able to have done anything."

"You would've been crushed to nothing," Kili said with a frown.

Bilbo had walked up to them with a look of guilt and mixed relief. "But she saved me, though."

"I wasn't... I didn't..." Estel mumbled.

"You pushed me out of the way," Bilbo said. "You may not have helped this lot, but you did push me out of the way."

The dwarves glanced between the hobbit and the girl before nodding in agreement.

"He's right," Ori spoke up.

Estel couldn't help but blush and she tried to hide her face in her hair. "I just wanted to help."

"And now that you did," Oin pushed past the dwarves and hobbit to kneel before her side. "You've gotten yourself hurt, and I must see to your wound."

The dwarves took this as a sign to pack up their things and left Estel in the care of Kili and Oin. The healer peeled back the dressing to see that the wound had, indeed, reopened and was bleeding. Kili inhaled a breath when he looked at the surrounding skin; the area had grown darker and the black veins branched out farther on her skin. Estel swallowed thickly and turned her head away to see Gandalf and Thorin talking quietly.

She could hear Thorin ask, "Where did you go to, if I may ask?"

Gandalf knocked his staff against the stone troll and replied, "To look ahead."

"What brought you back?"

"Looking behind. Nasty business. Still, they are all in one piece."

"No thanks to your burglar and the girl," Thorin muttered bitterly.

"He had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that. And as for the girl, she tried her best to help, even though you think ill of her."

Estel let out a quiet sigh. Oin had applied a salve to the wound and wrapped her in clean, new dressings from his pouch. Kili sat her up with his hand against her back. One look at her, and he knew that she was in pain; he could see it in her eyes as she tried her best to keep a straight face. She looked as if she was going to burst into tears in any moment.

Oin had left the two to pack up his own things and help the other dwarves take a share of what they had the ponies carry. The journey ahead with no ponies was going to be a long and tiring. Kili hadn't dared to leave Estel behind and so he stayed.

"Do you want to sit under the tree?" He asked her.

Estel shook her head. "I'm fine here."

"I'd rather you not be under the shade of trolls, who, may I add, tried to kill us all."

"Really, Mister Kili," Estel sighed. "I'm fine here. It's... peaceful."

"The tree is only three feet away," Kili said. He studied her for a moment and she looked away, twisting her hands in her lap. He sighed, nodding to himself as he realized. "It hurts, doesn't it?"

Estel looked up at Kili with watery eyes before she nodded and began to sniffle. "It hurts everywhere. I'm afraid to move."

Kili was about to reply to her until Thorin had spoken over the dwarves.

"The trolls must have come from a cave nearby," he said. "We'll search the area until we find it."

The company had packed up and were ready to set out. Fili handed his brother's pack and they both stood over Estel. Kili offered his hand.

"Come on, Miss Estel," the dark haired dwarf said.

"I will only slow you down," she frowned.

"Well, we don't intend to leave you here," Fili said. "You're coming with us."

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you are," Kili gave her a pointed look. "You're coming with us whether you like it or not."

Estel looked at the two brothers sadly, and she sighed to herself. She avoided their gazes and looked at their feet instead. She wiped her sleeve across her eyes and then stared out into the forest, feeling utterly hopeless. She had no idea what she was getting into and she wasn't sure if they fully understood what was going to happen to her sooner or later.

"I might die, you know," she said, and every word of hers was laced with sadness. "I might die from a dark magic which will soon reach my heart, and you two are wasting valuable time to reach the Lonely Mountain, all because you want to carry dead weight."

"Now, stop," Kili said as he lowered himself on his knees to reach her eye level. "There is still hope for you. And if you think for one moment that you are hindering this company, then you must be a very stupid girl."

Estel frowned. "Stupid?"

"Yes, stupid," Kili said. "And I know you're not, but you are if you think you should stay here."

"You're one of us," Fili added. "You proved that."

"I will carry you if I have to," Kili told her, and she knew he was serious by the look in his dark eyes.

She sighed and nodded, knowing that there was no way out of this. Kili shoved off his pack and quiver of arrows and bow, telling Fili to hold them. He turned his back to Estel and crouched low enough for her.

"Get on," he said.

"Wh-what?" Estel stuttered.

"Are you really willing to have this conversation again?" Fili quirked his brow.

She frowned and looked back to Kili. She moved to press herself against his back and wrap her arms around his neck. He carefully rose up to his height, and put his hands under her knees and shifted her up so that her chin rested atop his shoulder.

"Comfortable?" Kili looked at Estel over his shoulder.

"Not really."

"Too late," Fili laughed, and walked ahead the company. "The journey has already started!"


	6. Through the Forest and Over the Hills

"Oh, what's that stench?" Nori cried.

The company had found the cave, and within feet a foul smell had met their noses. It was a rotting, awful stench that smelled very much like death. Many of them gagged and covered their noses; Kili tried to breathe through his mouth since his were keeping Estel from falling to the ground.

"It's a troll hoard," Gandalf said and entered the mouth of the cave. "Be careful what you touch."

Kili had set Estel on a high rock and took his quiver and bow from his brother. "Bilbo," he called to the hobbit. "Stay with Miss Estel." He gave a small smile to the dwarrowdam. "I'll be right back."

"There's no need to be formal with me, Mister Kili," she said softly, so quiet that only Kili could hear.

The dwarf grinned. "Then you might as well drop the 'Mister'."

She laughed quietly, though it hurt her chest, with a nod of her head. "Alright."

Estel watched him go with his brother just as the hobbit arrived by her side. Bilbo looked relieved at the fact that he wouldn't have to enter and retch at the pungence of the cave. They were the only two who stayed behind and the hobbit tried to be casual around the girl; he stuck his hands in his pockets, but pulled them out and held them behind his back, only to keep one in his pocket and the other holding the brim of his coat.

"Um, I-I... Miss Estel, I..." Bilbo stuttered. Estel looked at him with a perfect eyebrow raised, and she noticed how nervous and bashful the hobbit was. "I... I must thank you again for what you did-"

Estel smiled shyly, and looked at her hands. "Mister Baggins, there is no need to thank me. I only tried to do what was right."

"At the cost of your own life, yes," he looked away with guilt. "I will never forget what you did for me... And please, Bilbo is just fine."

"Then you can call me Estel," she smiled reiterating what she had told Kili. "No need for all the formalities."

Bilbo smiled and looked at his large feet, a red staining his ears which were mostly hidden in his golden mop of curls. The two sat and waited quietly for the company until Estel mustered up a small amount of courage to break the silence.

"Tell me, Bilbo," she said quietly as she watched Ori and Nori appear from the cave. "How did you come about this quest?"

Bilbo turned to her, brows disappearing under his bangs. He pursued his lips and scratched his chin.

"Well, they... they just showed up on my doorstep, really. I suppose when they had left in the morning-I was really apprehensive about this whole..." Bilbo waved his hand around, trying to find the word. "...get-up. Yet something... something made me leave Bag End. It was just a pull and now look at me."

He laughed to himself and shook his head, as if still trying to believe that this was all happening. "I'm here with dwarves and a wizard and no way of knowing what's to come. Goodness, I shouldn't even be here."

Estel listened to him and offered him a smile. "I am sure you are meant to be here. Everything happens for a reason."

Bilbo sighed and tried to look cheerful, but his worry seeped through the cracks.

"And you," Bilbo changed the subject. "We found you, or should I say Kili, on the riverbank. How did that happen?"

Estel frowned and looked at the dirt under her nails. She didn't really mind her fingers because she was a traveller; there was always dirt under her nails whether she liked it or not.

"Do you remember yesterday morning? What I said?" She asked him.

By this point, most of the dwarves had exited the cave, many with new weapons or with more gold to add weight to their pouches. Some had sat on the earth floor, waiting for Gandalf and Thorin to leave, or some stood idly by the rocks, acting as if they weren't listening to the exchange between the dwarrowdam and hobbit. Kili stood beside Fili a few feet away examining his bow and listening quietly.

Bilbo nodded. "Orcs attacked your caravan."

"Yes, yes they did," Estel said as she looked up to the sky.

It was a clear blue and she thought it very pretty. She missed skies like these, skies so blue that anyone could get lost in them. There were times when she was just a child that she could lie on the green hills and stare up at the blue world, the clouds taking shape of the things she liked.

"It was dusk when it had happened," she said softly. "They just came and spared no one. My dear uncle told me to run to the ravine below where a river rushed and jump. He told me to leave him behind. I couldn't bear to leave him. And then... then he came. An Orc so vile and twisted, the darkness in his eyes could've taken my soul..."

Estel blinked hard, breathed in the air and let it out through her mouth. Gandalf and Thorin emerged from the cave quietly, seeing everyone had stopped doing whatever it was they were doing and looking at the young girl.

"They killed him," Estel said. "They killed my uncle right in front of me. Then one of the Orcs had shot an arrow, and down I went into the ravine. I don't remember anything other than that, and then I woke up by a warm fire and voices... your voices."

The silence grew thick and Estel closed her eyes, reaching up to fiddle with the necklace around her neck. In distressing times, she'd reach for it, letting her fingers graze the markings of the intricate metal.

Bilbo was about to say something, but Gandalf had interrupted him and crossed the distance.

"Bilbo," Gandalf called.

The hobbit turned around and was pulled away gently by his elbow to the edge of the cave. Talk and activities were resumed among the dwarves as Gandalf presented Bilbo a sword. Estel sighed to herself, wiping her eyes on her sleeve and looking out to the forest.

Her heart ached. She felt lonely and was drowning in sadness and grief. It wasn't until she told Bilbo what had brought her to them that Estel had really understood what happened to her. Her uncle was dead, her caravan was dead, the people she lived with for years were dead. She no longer had a family, and she was barely hanging onto her thread of life.

"Are you alright?" Estel faced Kili, who stood a foot away from her. He had a look of worry and approached her carefully.

She tried to give him a smile. "I'll be fine."

Kili frowned, looking into her eyes and seeing the sadness. He put his hand on her shoulder in a comforting way. "You do not have to hide your pain," he told her quietly.

"Kili, please don't worr-"

"I have to," he said, and he gave her a crooked smile. "You're my responsibility, after all."

Before she could reply, there came a thundering from beyond, and it rushed closer. All the dwarves looked out to the forest, drawing swords and becoming alert.

"Something's coming!" Thorin shouted.

"Stay together!" Gandalf called. "Hurry now. Arm yourselves."

Kili drew an arrow from his quiver and latched it onto his bow, stepping in front of Estel who had been swept off the rock by Fili, and she held to his back. The dwarves armed themselves, waiting to attack just as a flurry of brown robes and a sled of rabbits had rushed to the company.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" cried a curious man.

Gandalf had let out a long sigh and visibly relaxed, letting the dwarves know that this was no threat.

"Radagast! Radagast the Brown," Gandalf came forth to the wizard. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you, Gandalf," the brown wizard scurried off his sled. "Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong."

From behind, Kili lowered his bow and spoke from the corner of his mouth. "Are those... _rabbits_?"

Fili grinned and looked back to see Estel staring in awe, and then answered the dark haired dwarf. "I believe so, brother."

Estel couldn't tear her eyes away from the large, furry creatures. In all her years, she had never seen a rabbit so big. "How peculiar..." she said softly.

Kili looked back and was relieved to see her eyes have a twinkle instead of the sadness from moments before. He turned his head back to watch the two wizards; the company watched them closely as they conversed, and most were disgusted or flustered when Gandalf had pulled a stick insect from Radagast's mouth. The brown spoke wizard of darkness brewing in the Greenwood and his travels to Dol Guldur. The wizards walked some feet away to speak privately, far enough for the company to not hear the discussion.

Estel rested her head on Fili's shoulder and sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. The fatigue was starting to cloud her mind; the night's events and the pain emitting from every muscle was taking its toll on her body.

"Are you alright, Miss Estel?" Fili asked, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

She yawned in between her words. "I'm tired is all."

"You haven't had something to eat for some time," Kili frowned.

"I'll be fine," she sighed, eyes still closed. "No need… to worry."

A howl suddenly pierced the air, and everyone's heads darted around. Estel's eyes flew open, and she wasn't very tired anymore. If anything, she was more alert; her heart pounded and her eyes darted around fearfully. She had heard that howl before.

"Was that a wolf?" Bilbo asked worriedly, holding his small sword tightly in his hands. "Are there-are there wolves out there?"

"Wolves? No, that is not a wolf," Bofur said.

"Something worse," Estel said as she cowered. Fili could feel the small woman shake from fear against him, and tightened his hold on her knees.

A growl came from behind them, and Estel and the two brothers turned to see a Warg behind a crag. It bounded and leaped towards the midst of the dwarves, getting close enough to knock Dori down. Thorin, with a mighty flourish of his Orcist, struck the head of the Warg, killing it instantly. Another Warg, however, came running in from another direction to attack. Estel watched with horror as it came bounding towards Thorin; her eyes caught Kili lifting up his bow and letting his arrow go to hit the Warg in the shoulder. For a moment it was brought down, only it got back up to attack. Within seconds, came Dwalin, who ran his weapon through the gruesome creature to kill it.

"Warg-Scouts," Thorin spat. "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

Bilbo frowned. "Orc pack?"

Gandalf grimaced and turned to Thorin with a deep, angry frown set on his wrinkled face. "Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?"

"No one," said Thorin.

"Who did you tell?" Gandalf scolded the dwarf.

"No one, I swear," Thorin answered back with honesty. "What in Durin's name is going on?"

With a deep sigh, Gandalf said, "You are being hunted."

Estel tightened her hold around Fili's neck; all that played through her mind was when her caravan had been attacked. They were going to be slaughtered just as they were.

"We have to get out of here," Dwalin said, holding his sword to his side.

"We can't!" Ori cried from the top of the rocks. "We have no ponies. They bolted!"

A surge of panic ran through the company; with no means of escape, they all knew that there was no hope for all of them surviving. They were all going to die. The thought was distressing and Estel was on the verge of tears from how frightened she was. She looked at Kili and Fili through her glossy eyes, and she saw that they, too, were afraid. They tried very hard not to show it, but she could see it in their eyes.

"I'll draw them off," Radagast spoke up.

Gandalf shot the brown wizard a bewildered look. "These are Gundabad Wargs; they will outrun you."

"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits!" Radagast argued, and with a mischievous grin, he added, "I'd like to see them try."

The dwarves exchanged looks, unsure if whether or not the brown wizard was truly mad. Gandalf had sighed and shook his head.

"Be safe, my friend," the gray wizard said, and with that, Radagast snapped his reins as he and his rabbits disappeared into the forest.

The dwarves unsheathed their weapons and held them to their sides. It occurred to Estel what was going to happen: they were all going to make a run for it. She started to breathe heavier and she shook her head, realizing that they wouldn't be able to escape with her being carried as dead weight. She loosened her arms around Fili's neck and tried to slide off his back.

"Estel, what are you doing?" Fili looked at her as if she had gone mad. Kili looked at her with a mix of confusion and frustration as she tried to stand on the ground, only she leaned heavily onto Fili's back.

"I can't let you carry me," she said. "Go on without me. Please, go now."

"I refuse to leave you behind," Kili told her with a defiant look.

"Kili, please…" she said sadly. "I am too weak, and I will only slow all of you down. Now I beg of you, go now while you still can."

_"I will not leave you behind!_" Kili growled, making most of the dwarves turn towards him. "We put you under our care, you have been my responsibility, and by Mahal, if you utter one more word about staying behind, Estel, I _will_ strike you with an arrow."

Estel gaped, taken aback by Kili's abruptness. She shut her mouth and swallowed the lump in her throat, before she nodded and was about to hold onto Fili's back until another voice had joined in.

"Fili, lad, I doubt you can hold her for long," the voice belonging to Dwalin reprimanded. "Give her to me."

Estel frowned. "Mister Dwalin -"

"He's strong, but he wouldn't last," Dwalin huffed. "I'll hold ye'. It'd be better if you weren't dragging an heir down."

She tried not to let the last few words sink in, but they managed to wedge themselves into her head. It hurt, but the dwarf was right. Fili seemed to have strength in his arms, not his back. She would more than likely weigh him down.

Estel nodded, flashing a glance at the two brothers with soft yet cautious faces. Dwalin tightened one of his hands around the girl's left knee as she held onto his back, holding his axe in the other hand. Kili's features softened as he took one more look at her. He tried to give her a reassuring smile, one of apology and one to let her know that they would make it out of this mess.

Thorin and Gandalf lead the company as they ran through the woods and out onto the plains, just as Radagast had bounded across the land in the distance with Wargs hot on his trail. They stopped behind a rock and watched before Radagast and the Wargs were lost in the distance. Gandalf called to the dwarves and hobbit and they ran across the rocky plain. Gandalf kept a close eye on each dwarf as well the brown wizard across the plain. The company ran and ran, legs burning with each step for the dwarves, but fear kept them running. Estel held tight to Dwalin's back with Kili running only a few steps ahead. She prayed to Mahal that she wouldn't hinder Dwalin's strength should they come to an impending fight.

The Wargs were not too far from the company as they ran, and they veered into the direction of some tall rocks, taking cover behind them. Gandalf had told them to stay together, watching the Wargs and their Orc riders run after Radagast and his rabbits.

"Move!" Thorin shouted, and they all took off again.

They continued running as the Wargs continued to chase after the brown wizard's sled, and Thorin had stopped abruptly for the dwarves to take shelter behind the rocks. Ori, however, had continued running until Thorin caught him by the arm and pulled him back before he could be spotted.

"Come on! Quick!" Gandalf said, and took the lead as they had started to run again.

Kili looked back at his brother, then to Dwalin and Estel, heart beating as he hoped that they would keep up. Estel's added weight was slowing Dwalin down a small amount, but the dwarf seemed to be faring well. Kili turned back to see his uncle look up at Gandalf.

"Where are you leading us?" Thorin demanded.

Gandalf did not answer and kept leading the company across the plains. Gandalf stopped running once he saw one of the Warg scouts stop and pause to sniff the air. The dwarves pressed themselves against a rock, and Estel covered her mouth to keep from breathing heavily as the scout and Warg walked to the top of the rock. Tears pricked her eyes and she watched Thorin and Kili with wide eyes.

The older dwarf looked at his nephew and nodded; Kili took a deep, steady breath, readying an arrow. Kili pulled the arrow back and stepped out from the shelter of the rock and shot his at his target. It hit the Warg's flank, and it and the orc rider fell with screeches. They fell near the dwarves, and the company advanced on them to end their screams. The noises of pain and screeching and howling echoed in Estel's ears, and she buried her face in her shoulder to keep from looking.

The sounds of the orc and Warg rang over the expanse of the plains, and it seemed as if time had stopped as well as the rushing of blood and heartbeats. The company had not anticipated the scouts and Wargs to stop pursuing Radagast and his rabbits. The Wargs' howls carried over the wind and to the dwarves, alerting them that they would soon be upon them.

"Move! Run!" Gandalf yelled, urging the dwarves to run.

The dwarves, the wizard, and the hobbit ran through the grassy plains to escape the Wargs. They breathed heavily, and their fear drove them to not stop and drop to the ground. Estel hadn't realized that tears spilled down her cheeks until a sudden gust of wind blew against her, chilling her face. As they ran, Wargs had started to come in from all sides.

"There they are!" Gloin shouted.

"This way! Quickly!" Gandalf said

They had run for a while longer, and all hope seemed to have been lost as the company stopped in the middle of a clearing where Wargs had surrounded them. Each dwarf held his weapon firm in his hands. Estel released Dwalin's neck and dropped to the ground near Fili and Kili, the old dwarf rushing in with his axe.

With them surrounded, only one thought crossed Estel's mind: they were going to die. Wargs snapped and snarled at the company, and the dwarves tried their best to fend them off.

"There's more coming!" Kili said as he looked around frantically.

"Kili! Shoot them!" Thorin ordered his nephew, and the young dwarf complied and let arrows loose into the heads of Orcs and Wargs.

Estel watched helplessly as the dwarves tried defend themselves. The howls and screams of orcs killed by Kili's arrows rang into the air and strangled her ears. She was on the edge of passing out from the excitement and anxiety, and she tried to keep her eyes open.

"We're surrounded!" Kili cried, shooting another arrow. "Where is Gandalf?"

They looked around desperately until Dwalin yelled, "He has abandoned us!"

Estel stood up on shaky legs, close to Fili and Kili who were still keeping the Wargs and Orcs at bay. She looked around, seeing the dwarves gather near each other and holding their ground just as Thorin had ordered. Kili continued to shoot his arrows, Gloin and Thorin slashed at the Wargs, and she saw Dwalin slam his hammer into a Warg's head. From some feet away, she saw Ori shoot a small rock from his slingshot at an Orc, who was left unfazed. The Orc simply grinned menacingly, coming to advance on Ori only to stop when he had caught sight of Estel. It had seemed that the breath had been knocked out of the dwarrowdam, and it was if she was watching her uncle being run through again.

The Orc loudly screeched something unintelligent, and pointed a gnarled finger towards Estel. The dwarves followed his gaze and watched Estel with confused expressions. Thorin gazed darkly from the Orc to the dwarrowdam, knowing that their sudden interest in her would cause trouble. Estel took a few, weak steps back and fell onto the ground, heart hammering in her chest, as one of Wargs and its rider came bounding towards her. An arrow came flying through the air and brought the Warg down, and Estel was suddenly lifted up off the ground. She met Kili's eyes and she thanked Mahal that he was there.

"They want me," Estel said as tears flowed down her face. "You should've left me behind."

"I won't let them get to you," he said, and shot another arrow. "I'll keep you safe."

After a few moments, Gandalf had reappeared from a crack in one of the rocks. The dwarves had turned to him with a mix of shock and relief.

"This way, you fools!" The wizard shouted, waving towards them to where he stood.

"Come on, move!" Thorin called. "Quickly, all of you! Go, go, go!"

The dwarves had left their positions, and as the Wargs neared, the dwarves and Bilbo dropped down the crack one by one. Fili and Kili still stood side by side with Estel close behind, shielding her from the enemy.

"Fili, go!" Kili yelled to his brother, taking an arrow from his quiver. "Take Estel and go!"

Fili nodded, trusting his younger brother, before sheathing his sword and sweeping Estel off the ground. She looked up between Fili and Kili, shaking her head and pushing against the blond dwarf's chest.

"Kili-"

The darker haired brother silenced her with the grim look on his face and looked her in the eyes. "Don't worry about me, I will follow you both!"

Fili took off across the plain with Estel in his arms before she could call out to Kili. Her heart pounded as she watched the dwarf shoot his arrows, overwhelmed with stress and worry before her weak heart couldn't take the pressure of it all. She fainted in Fili's arms just as he slid down the crack and into the cave below. From above, Thorin swung the Orcist to kill a warg, and he yelled for his nephew to run.

Kili let another arrow sing through the air just as Thorin bellowed, "Kili! Run!"

The dwarf watched the Warg fall to the ground and he took off with Thorin towards the rocks. They both jumped into the crack, sliding down the earth last just as the last few Orcs and Wargs reached the entrance. Kili braced himself, grazing his forehead against a loose rock and a terrible sting made him grit his teeth. He fell onto his knees right next to Nori, who helped him up. He circled around the cave, looking for his brother and the young dwarrowdam. He approached his brother-and Oin who was kneeling beside the girl- who crouched over an unconscious Estel.

"What happened?" Kili said quickly. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine," Oin reassured the dwarf. "The lass only fainted. Must have been the excitement."

Kili shut his eyes for a moment and breathed in a sigh of relief. Horns suddenly began blowing outside the cave and then came screams of Orcs and Wargs; the company listened with tense muscles. Without warning, an Orc fell into the cave and the dwarves moved out of the way, dead. Thorin grimaced, walking towards the fallen Orc and pulling an arrow out from its neck; he examined it before throwing it to the ground.

"Elves," he muttered.

The dwarves recollected themselves, checking to see if they were all alright and if they had their belongings. Bilbo frowned, seeing that he had lost one of the buttons to his coat. Kili tried not to move his forehead too much; the cut was wiped clean by Oin and a strange, burning salve was applied. It was only to keep infection away, and it would take some time to heal. It would most likely scar, too.

Kili knelt down and took Estel up in his arms, who slept peacefully. Fili rose up along his brother.

"You don't have to carry her," the blond dwarf said

Kili shrugged. "I want to. She'll need a familiar face when she wakes up."

But it was more than that, Kili had realized. Kili was afraid; he didn't know why, but he knew it was after the Orc had tried to pursue the girl in his arms. He was afraid to see Estel in danger; if it were one of the dwarves, he wouldn't be afraid because he knew they could mind their own. Yet seeing the fear in her blue eyes had left a mark in Kili's mind, and the young dwarf swore to himself that he would never let a look like that ever flash in her eyes again.

Dwalin had walked away from the group, peering down a pathway at the end of the cave.

"I cannot see where the pathway leads," the bald dwarf said. "Do we follow it or no?"

Bofur straightened his hat, and with an optimistic kick in his step, walked towards the path.

"Follow it, of course!"


	7. Rivendell

_Thanks for all the comments! I now have a total of 25 chapters. I think maybe 20ish more and I'll be done! I'm almost done with my CA:TWS chapter, so if you guys are also following that story, patience! It'll be there soon! (Btw, I just started college, and holy shit it's AMAZING!)_

* * *

The company of Thorin Oakenshield had come to a narrow crack between two cliffs, and each dwarf had difficulty squeezing through the opening. Except for Bilbo, of course-the hobbit could go through just about anything. At one point, Bombur had gotten stuck and it took three of the dwarves to push him out. Kili tried to maneuver his way with Estel, still lost in her unconsciousness, in his arms, but nearly bashed her head in. He grimaced, trying to get her and himself through the crack at the same time. Fili sighed, and took the girl from his brother on the other side. Kili scowled, going through the opening and taking the dwarrowdam back under his safety. He did not want to receive help; he could do it all on his own.

They followed the path and it soon opened to a valley below, a beautiful, breathtaking scenery. Of course, the dwarves remained stoic apart from the hobbit, who had never stepped foot out the Shire in his whole life. There was a city that lay below, and a waterfall fell near them.

"The Valley of Imraldis," Gandalf said as he continued along the path. "In the common tongue, it's known by a another name."

From behind, Bilbo breathed in awe, looking about the surrounding waterfalls and pillars of smooth rock. "Rivendell."

Gandalf looked back with a light smile on his face and nodded. He pointed to the city below and said, "Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea."

Thorin had a dark look on his face and turned to the wizard and glowered. "This was your plan all along? To seek refuge with our enemy?"

Gandalf sighed at the dwarf's years long grudge. "You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill-will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."

The wizard and dwarf bickered while the company shifted their eyes around the valley, taking in all its sights. From the back of the group, Fili elbowed his brother's side and nodded towards the statues at the end of the bridge.

"One has to admit the craftsmanship," he said.

Kili smirked. "It's probably not as grand as Erebor."

Fili chuckled with a shrug his shoulders. "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see."

The company had crossed the large bridge that entered Rivendell, all with cautious yet curious steps. Thorin grimaced every step of the way, and his unease grew with every second. Bilbo turned in circles as he walked, gazing at the architecture and richness of the city; it was as if the whole valley were made of gold by the angle the sun shined down.

Their movements ceased when a dark haired elf walked down a set of marble stairs. He crossed the space towards Gandalf, a light smile on his face as he greeted him.

"Mithrandir," he nodded.

The dwarves exchanged looks at the strange name the elf called the wizard.

"Ah, Lindir," Gandalf greeted.

A hushed murmur ran through the dwarves as they watched the gray wizard and elf closely; Thorin had muttered to Dwalin to be alert. The elf had exchanged a string of words in his foreign tongue-Sindarin, Kili realized-that the dwarves could not understand.

"I must speak with Lord Elrond," Gandalf told Lindir.

With a small frown, the elf replied, "My lord Elrond is not here."

"Not here? Where is he?"

Horns were suddenly heard again, the same ones from the grassy plains the company had escaped from. The company turned around and faced the bridge they had come through to see horsemen fast approaching them. Thorin had drawn the Orcist, calling out to the dwarves to hold their ranks. Bilbo was pushed to the center as well as Kili with Estel, who still hadn't woken up despite the noise. His grip tightened around her as the mounted elves circled around the company. After a moment, they slowed to a stop, and a tall brown haired elf left his horse and walked towards them.

He smiled upon seeing the wizard. "Gandalf."

Gandalf bowed to the elf. "Lord Elrond. Mellonnen, mo evínedh?" He spoke to him in their language.

Elrond replied back in his tongue, the dwarves watching with much caution. The elf then embraced Gandalf for a moment before letting go.

"Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders," the elf said, holding up the sword of an Orc to examine it before handing it to Lindir. "Something, or someone, has drawn them near."

The dwarves' eyes all flashed to Thorin to see whether or not the dwarf would react. Kili noticed his uncle's jaw twitch from slight impatience and strain.

"That may have been us," Gandalf admitted, the manner of his tone apologetic.

At his words, Thorin had stepped forth from the group, and Elrond finally took notice of the dwarf.

"Welcome, Thorin, son of Thrain," Elrond inclined his head a bit when he greeted him.

"I do not believe we have met," Thorin said.

His two nephews grew very cautious of the Lord Elrond. Kili's hold tightened, and he took a few steps back. Something stirred in him- perhaps unease-and he did not trust this elf. Kili did not have a deep animosity like his uncle, but he was wary of others he did not know. Fili was more like his uncle. If Thorin did not trust this elf, then he would follow example-although it did contradict how Fili felt about their last addition to the company. The eldest nephew stepped closer to his uncle, his hand at the hilt of one of his twin swords.

"You have your grandfather's bearing," the elf told him. "I knew Thror when he ruled under the Mountain."

"Indeed," Thorin said and then retorted with a bite in his tone, "He made no mention of you."

Kili bit a chuckle down as he watched the exchange. Lord Elrond looked as if he were about to roll his eyes at the insult. The elf's attention was drawn back to Gandalf, and the wizard exchanged a few words to him in Sindarin. Kili watched them, noticing that the elf and wizard's eyes flashed back and forth towards the center of the company where the dwarf stood with the girl in his arms. Elrond nodded, turning his attention back to the company.

"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor," Elrond said, still in his tongue. "Boe i annam vann a nethail vin."

"What is he saying?" Gloin growled, holding up his battle ax. "Does he offer us insult?"

The dwarves murmured and couldn't help but glare at the elf, gripping their weapons uneasily. Gandalf sighed exasperatedly and rolled his eyes.

"No, Master Gloin," Gandalf said. "He's offering you food."

The dwarves stared at the wizard and then turned their gaze to Lord Elrond, who stood with his hands behind his back and an amused smirk upon his face. The dwarves huddled close and hushed whispers were thrown about before they broke apart and looked back at the elf.

"Well, in that case, lead on," Gloin said.

Elrond had the dwarves follow Lindir, who stood by the marble stairs patiently the whole time. Kili was about to follow until Elrond had stepped in his way.

"I shall take her," he said.

Kili took a few steps back, holding the sleeping girl close to him and he gave the elf a weary look. The elf sighed and stepped forward, extending his arms.

"Gandalf has informed me of her condition," Elrond said. "I mean to take her to our healing chambers. I fear she may not have very much time left at the rate the wound is festering."

Kili swallowed thickly, glancing down at Estel; she looked exhausted and pale, and her breath came in short bursts. With a sigh he nodded, letting Elrond take her in his arms.

"If a single hair on her head is harmed, I will-" Kili threat was cut off.

"Master Dwarf, I assure you that she will be in good hands," The elf's expression remained stoic. He glanced up from Kili to the dwarves ascending the stairs. "I'd run along if I were you."

* * *

It seemed as if she had been merely floating for some time, lost between sleep and the world around her. Estel couldn't feel her arms nor her legs; the only thing she felt was her heart beat and a strange feeling coursing through her veins. It felt heavy and dark, eating away at her. It was unwelcoming and it left her cold. The voices, however, that faded in and out of her consciousness were a strange contrast to the dark feeling inside her. They were strong yet gentle voices, and she felt the urge to follow them wherever they went.

With the voices came something new to her veins, and this felt light and airy; she was reminded of the days when she would bask under the warmth of the sun. It's warmth flushed away the darkness she felt, warming her insides and her heart. The voices had eventually faded away into nothingness, but the warmth stayed and left her in a calm, serene place. Estel no longer felt as if she was floating and it was like she was being eased onto a cloud, smothered in something soft and comforting.

A heaviness had settled over her eyes and head and she had the urge to escape it. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Her vision cleared after she blinked a few times, and Estel found herself in a strange yet beautifully open chamber. Windows opened up to the valley, and the sun had just started to set. A few oil lamps burned and a wonderful aroma was wafted into the air. Estel looked around and realized that she was in a bed-perhaps larger than the biggest troll- with numerous cushions and luxurious linens. The bed was so soft, softer than anything she had even slept on; Estel practically melted into the sheets. This must have been what clouds felt like, she thought to herself.

She sighed, bringing her hand to wipe the weariness from her eyes. She felt much better; she didn't feel so ill, she realized, and nothing ached. If it were possible she'd have enough energy to run to Ered Luin and back. Carefully, she sat up and leaned against the headboard of the bed. Her clothes were missing, she noticed, and she frowned. Instead, she wore a gown that hugged her comfortably; it was a lovely shade of dark red, decorated with gold stitching at the neckline and sleeves. Never had she worn something so fine and exquisite. For a moment, she wondered if she had died. Surely nothing this fine could exist in this life.

She pulled the dress up to expose her abdomen, and she stared down with mild alarm. The dark veins had disappeared and the wound was gone; in its place was a small pink scar that size of a coin. She traced it with her fingers in awe before pulling the dress down.

Estel wondered where the rest of the company was, where Gandalf had led them to, where Fili and Kili were. Their whereabouts clouded her mind and she frowned, feeling very lonely and wary. She hadn't the slightest idea as to where she was, and was unsure of leaving the chamber to find the dwarves. That is, if they were even here.

Suddenly, the door to her left opened. Estel swiveled her head with wide eyes, and in came a dark haired elf whom she had never seen. He smiled when he saw the girl was awake, and he shut the door behind him.

"You're awake," he said, taking a seat by the large window. "I hope you are faring well."

She opened her mouth, but then closed it. She nodded instead.

He offered her a friendly smile. "I am Lord Elrond."

"Estel," she murmured.

The elf looked at her thoughtfully, seeing the worry written across her face. "Your friends are here, do not worry."

She visibly relaxed and sighed. "If I may ask, where is 'here'?"

"You're in Rivendell," Elrond said. His eyes flickered down to her abdomen and back up to her face. "That was some very awful magic you had been struck with, if I do say so myself."

Estel frowned, gripping their sheets tighter in her hands. Elrond sensed her unease.

"We've healed you here," he explained. "And in good time, too. Had it been a few more days, I'm afraid the magic would've reached your heart."

"Thank you," Estel said, and she meant it.

Elrond smiled lightly. "But the question some would like to know is why you were pursued in the first place. Gandalf has informed me of what has taken place in the last few days, but the mystery of how they came upon you is rather intriguing. I'd like to know why you were the Orc's target."

Estel had a deep frown, and when she didn't answer, Elrond continued.

"The magic that was coursing through your veins was something that I haven't seen in hundreds of years," Elrond said. Estel didn't answer, she only stared at her hands. The elf sighed and went on. "It had been created in the First Age by a dark being, and I thought it to be lost. This magic had been used to absorb another's being for another's own desires. Once it reaches the heart, they are lost forever."

Estel felt a cold shiver run down her spine from his words. Her stomach knotted uneasily, and Elrond could see how unsettled she really was.

"So, if I may ask, why did the Orcs pursue you?" Elrond asked.

Estel's muscles tensed under his gaze, and she looked to her hands in her lap. She reached up to her neck, and thankfully her necklace was still in place. She fiddled with it, wondering if it was wise to tell him.

"You have no enemies here, Lady Estel," Elrond said.

Estel took a moment to close her eyes and sigh before bringing her gaze back up to him.

"When... When they attacked my caravan," Estel began. "My uncle told me that they wanted something. They wanted a power. They wanted _me_. I do not know if I possess a great power, but..."

"But?" Elrond raised his brow.

"I have this way of- I suppose you would call it a gift of healing."

Elrond pursed his lips, and nodded. Estel continued, "Just touching the wounded area, I can heal it. Make it seem that it was never there in the first place."

The elf eyed her. "If you possess such a gift, then why did you not try to save yourself? To save you from all this darkness?

She shook her head. "I'm afraid I cannot heal an illness. I had tried once on my uncle when I was very young. He had a cold, but I could not heal him. I'm afraid I can only heal flesh wounds."

They were quiet after that. Elrond placed his tented fingers against his chin as he rested his observant eyes on her. She tried her best not to fidget under his gaze until he spoke again.

"And that is why the Orcs attacked you?" Elrond asked.

Estel bit her lip, and was thinking to herself. She wasn't sure if she should speak of what her uncle told her. That she was a sibyl; it confused her, for she had never had any sibyl qualities. She couldn't see into the future nor predict it. It was impossible, she thought. The healing gift was rather extraordinary, but she was sure that the Orcs wouldn't be in need of a healing power. Whatever they were plotting… perhaps her her new power was, indeed, powerful.

When she brought her head back up, Elrond was still looking at her expectantly. He seemed like a wise and very good person, and he had helped her, but she was still unsure.

"They attacked me for my healing abilities," she said. Her heart dropped; that was the first lie she had ever told. Oh, how her uncle would be ashamed.

The elf looked as if he didn't believe her; there couldn't be any reason for the Orcs to harness healing abilities. Estel, herself, wouldn't believe such a lie. For a moment, Estel thought he was going to become angry with her, but Elrond only sighed and left the window.

"I shall send a meal to you shortly," he said as he crossed the room and towards the door. He looked back over his shoulder. "In the mean time, I recommend that you rest."

With that, he left and shut the door quietly. Estel sighed, and dropped back onto the sheets. She turned her head to the side to gaze at the setting sun from outside. It was a wonderful sunset, she thought. She hadn't seen one so grand since the evening the Orcs had attacked. Her heart began to ache and the loneliness settled in; she'd give anything to see Gimbar's smiling old face or Bondor sitting by the fire and whittling. She missed her Uncle Borin, and his kindness. She closed her eyes, trying to keep her warm tears in and took in a shaky breath.

They had died because of her, she realized. The only family she had died in vain because she was a sibyl. What a foul, cursed gift. She had never even had any moments of foresight in her entire life. Estel began to cry silent tears, and she hid her face in her knees. The loneliness and longing for her small family to whisk her away was strong.

Estel wondered if the company was fine, if they were being fed and taken care of by the elves. Even in the short time that she knew them, despite the fact that some of the dwarves overlooked her, she hoped that they were alright. One's cold shoulder couldn't faze her or cause her to think ill thoughts; she still hoped for their safety. Her thoughts drifted to Kili and Fili; she had last remembered Fili running towards the crack of the cave with her in his arms, Estel looking over his shoulder to see Kili fire his arrows. A cold feeling washed over her, and she had no idea if the dark haired dwarf had made it. She trusted that Kili was safe and sound with the rest of the company; he had said he'd follow her, after all.

* * *

Kili poked the leafy greens at his plate, staring at the vegetables that he couldn't bring himself to eat. He didn't dare put the leaves in his mouth, and he wasn't very hungry either. The company sat at a table in the Elven court having supper, yet most of them weren't very keen on trying the food spread out before them. Dori had tried coaxing Ori into taking a bite, but the younger dwarf refused.

Estel was at the center of Kili's thoughts. He was worried. It had been an hour or two since he had last seen her, and he deeply hoped that Lord Elrond was able to heal her. Some of the dwarves, though they didn't pay very much mind to her, were also on the edge of their seats; but Kili was the most worried out of the whole lot. The girl had been so weak that Kili wasn't sure if she had a fighting chance. His stomach sank at the thought of them being too late; she was too kind a girl to pass over.

"She'll be fine, Kee," Fili nudged him, sensing his brother's concern.

Kili sighed, pushing his plate away. "I only hope that we weren't too late."

"You worry too much," the blond dwarf said, and pushed his brother's plate back to him. "Now eat."

The younger brother grimaced and rolled his eyes. He leaned his head against his hand and gazed out to see the setting sun, listening to the harp that an Elf maiden played in the background. He shut out the noises around him and listened to the melody, wondering how long Thorin intended to stay in Rivendell until his thoughts lingered back to the dwarrowdam. He would've snorted to himself at how many times her face clouded his mind, but he didn't. Instead his stomach twisted into knots, and something cold gripped his heart. Perhaps they were too late.

Elrond entered the court after some time, and sat at the head of the table beside Gandalf. Kili looked at him with eager eyes, and the elf's gaze flickered to him for a split second, seeing the anticipation in the dwarf before looking out over the table.

"I trust dinner is going well," Elrond said.

Before Dwalin or Ori could gripe about their meal, Gandalf nodded and said, "It is to our liking. Thank you, my friend."

Elrond nodded and smiled.

"How is the Lady Estel?" Gandalf asked when he saw Kili's unease. The wizard himself was worried and hoped for her speedy recovery.

"She is healed," the elf said. Kili and a few of the others relaxed or breathed out a sigh of relief. "The girl is doing well, and I am sure that she will have the strength to leave her bed."

"Can I see her?" Kili blurted out. The dwarves looked at him oddly at his aspirant tone, though the dwarf paid no mind. Thorin eyed his nephew, and Gandalf merely smiled lightly at the concern Kili emitted.

Elrond seemed unphased and answered the dwarf with, "Not at the moment, for I've told her to rest. Perhaps later when she has fully rested."

Kili frowned and nodded as he sat back against his chair. The weight on his chest had been lifted upon hearing that Estel was fine. The time had been spent with Elrond examining the weapons Gandalf and Thorin had collected from the troll hoard, and Kili sat there bored like a few of the other dwarves. His brother watched them thoughtfully while Kili had his own thoughts milling about his head.

He felt it pointless to sit in the court. He had no desire to eat nor listen to conversations that weren't directed towards him. Kili felt restless, and no matter how hard he tried, his thoughts were diverted to the blue-eyed girl.

"I need some air," Kili leaned in to mutter to Fili. "I can't stand this place."

The blond dwarf frowned as he watched his brother scoot out of his seat quietly, seeing that he was the only one at the table who noticed. Kili quietly left the court and slinked off into a hallway, the voices of the dwarves fading behind him. He began walking down a direction, although he had no idea where the hall would lead; his only intention was to find the healing chambers.

Kili walked down one way and then another. The halls all looked the same to him, and when Elven guards came his way, the dwarf would take another route to avoid them. Kili would come across balconies or statues. Every now and then he'd come across a garden and a fountain. He couldn't deny that everything he'd see was very extravagant.

It wasn't until the sun had finally set and the stars began to peek out one by one that Kili realized he was lost. Everything looked the same to him. No matter where he turned, he'd find himself in the gardens or in spare chambers. At one point he found a library, and growled to himself. He kicked the wall in frustration, and then stifled a groan as he held his foot.

"Are you alright?" A light voice asked from behind.

Kili quickly spun around to see a blonde she-elf staring at him curiously. He let go of his foot and squared his shoulders.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," Kili said, although he really wasn't. He was embittered.

The elf raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "You are one of our dwarf guests."

Kili nodded, feeling as if she was dissecting him under her scrutinizing gaze. Finally, she smiled lightly.

"You have a friend," she said. "A girl?" The dwarf nodded again. "I helped my lord Elrond heal her. I take it you were trying to find the healing chambers?"

Kili's ears perked up at this. "Can you take me to her?" He asked, and then thought he must've sounded very eager. "She must be worried about us lot," he added.

"Certainly," she nodded.

She turned down a hallway to the right, and Kili quickly followed. He slowed his pace down some to make it seem that he wasn't too acquisitive to see Estel. The she-elf made many twists and turns, too many to count.

Coming up one hall, he heard rather loud voices from an open room to his right, catching a glimpse of Bofur and Bifur breaking furniture and throwing it in one pile. Kili made a note to himself to remember to come back to them through this direction.

Finally, they stopped to a hall where three doors were at the end. The elf pointed to the door to her left.

"Your friend is through this door," she said.

Kili thanked her, and she nodded, leaving down one of the halls. He inhaled a breath, putting a hand on the silver door handle, and then exhaling. He turned the handle and entered the room, catching lit oil lamps from the corner of his eyes.

Estel turned her head from where she sat in bed, seeing the dark-haired dwarf enter. She smiled, genuinely happy to see the dwarf.

"Kili," she said, watching him close the door behind him quietly. "You're alright."

"As are you," he smiled, crossing the room to sit in the chair beside the bed. "How do you feel?"

"Much better," she returned his smile. Kili could see the noticeable difference; there was color in her pale face, and her opal eyes were bright as starlight and as clear as springwater.

"I'm glad," he replied. He meant it; he would feel guilt for the rest of his life if she had not made it.

She let out a quiet breath and leaned back against the cushions. Kili tried not to let his stare linger, and so he looked out the window. The moon shined brightly, framed by the stars.

Estel looked at the moon, too, and was entranced by its beauty. It had been some time since she had seen a moon that clear and whole. Kili's presence made her calm, and she was happy to see him. However, before he came, Estel was conflicted. Her thoughts went from one to another, circulating around the lie she had told Elrond.

She glanced at Kili, noticing how the day's events left him tired. Her eyes flickered to his forehead and she frowned. He sensed her gaze and shot her a curious look.

"Estel?"

She scooted a bit closer, lifting her hand to brush his hair away. Kili swallowed the sudden lump in his throat when his skin began to tingle beneath her soft fingertips.

"You've hurt yourself," she gave him a small frown.

Kili was unsure of what she spoke of until he remembered the small gash on his forehead. He gave her a reassuring smile, and took her hand away from his face and held it gently.

"It's nothing, just a knick," he said.

Estel sighed, giving him a pointed look. She gnawed on her lip, going through her thoughts and memories of her caravan as she looked at him. When she looked at him, it seemed to draw many things to her mind. With another sigh, she brought her attention to him.

"Can…" She paused, her hand tightening around her pendant. "Can I do something?" She hesitantly asked.

He furrowed his brows. "Such as?"

"I want to try something," she said. She paused for a moment before asking very softly, "Kili, do you trust me?"

He nodded. "Of course, I do. Estel, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just sit still for me."

He raised his brow for a moment, and then relaxed his shoulders and watched as Estel raised her hand again. She placed her fingertips against the cut on his forehead, and Kili watched her closely. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, concentrating her energy lightly towards her fingertips. Kili tried not to fidget when he suddenly felt a strange warmth; he could see a faint glow from above, and he looked at the girl with surprise.

After a moment, Estel pulled away and opened her eyes, giving the dwarf a light smile.

"Estel…"

"Look in the mirror," she told him, nodding to the looking glass hanging on the far wall.

With hesitation, he left his seat and crossed the room. He peered at his reflection and trailed his eyes up to his forehead. His eyes widened and he moved his hand to graze his fingers against the area where the cut once was. He rubbed his fingers against the now clear skin, expecting it to a be trick and come away with blood. It was no trick; his forehead was completely… _fine._ Kili was amazed-perhaps a little frightened- seeing no trace of injury at all; it was as if it never happened.

He spun around to look at Estel, who glanced at him nervously beneath her eyelashes. Kili crossed the space and sat at the foot of the bed, wonder twinkling in his dark eyes.

"Incredible," the dwarf breathed. "But how...?"

"Since I was a child," she said. "I have been able to heal small wounds. I don't know why or how this power has been given to me. Be it a blessing, or perhaps a curse, from the Valar, I do not know." When Kili looked in her eyes, he caught the fear and sadness in them. "You are afraid."

His cheeks flooded with color, and he shook his head as he sputtered.

"No, no!" He paused. "Well, p-perhaps at I was at f-first, but… I think it is wonderful," Kili's grinned was genuine, but then he frowned as a thought occurred to him. "But this... Is this why the Orcs attacked you?"

Estel swallowed thickly, looking away and towards the window. She felt him take her hand and squeeze it lightly. She sighed, answering him without looking at his kind face.

"I believe that is why," she said. "The arrow they had struck me with was a dark magic. Elrond told me that this magic, ancient and powerful, is used to take someone's essence for another's terrible purposes. If it had been too late..."

Kili said nothing, only nodded and squeezed her hand again. They sat like that for some time with their thoughts until Kili sighed, and they looked at each other. His gaze was genuine and reassuring, and he placed his other hand on her shoulder.

"I promise you that they will never harm you again."


	8. Follow Us

_Sorry. I didn't realize that'd I would be _this_ late. It's been a rough month and half, but I'm enjoying my transition to college. Florida is either wet or sunny, and I'm okay with that. Anyway, enjoy! _

* * *

Kili had spent some time with Estel, informing her of what happened since the orc attack and once the company had entered Rivendell. He tried to divert her thoughts from the orcs after seeing how morose it made her. She listened silently and with a thoughtful smile on her face, leaning against the pillows and watching the dwarf prince talk. Sometimes they would sit in silence, looking at the gardens or the moon from inside, both sitting in comfort.

A thought crossed Kili's mind, and he tried not to frown for fear of Estel becoming concerned and questioning him. He was glad that she better; in fact, he was more than glad, but what then? What happened next, he wondered, he did not know. Once the company had found her, the priority he shared with a few others was to find aid and healing for the girl. They had found it and she was recovering well, and that was it. They had done it.

But what then?

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, seeing her blue eyes trail from star to star, and then to the moon. He had come to like the girl, and so did a few of the dwarves and Bilbo, too. Kili sighed internally. They would have to leave soon, and he knew that Thorin and a few of the older dwarves wouldn't allow her to come. He was going to leave her behind, and that left a knot in his stomach; he told her once, twice, and many times after that he wasn't going to leave her behind, even though it was only meant that Kili wouldn't leave her in the arms of danger. Yet, the dwarf couldn't bring himself to leave her here in Rivendell.

And this wasn't her home, he thought to himself. Kili didn't think that she belonged in the Elven city, and he believed that the girl knew that as well. He realized that she had lost everything; her uncle and caravan were dead, and he didn't know of the fate that had fallen on her other family. He didn't really know anything about her, other than her recent misfortune and what her blood entailed. Estel didn't have a home, and this saddened Kili. She had no one nor a place to return to.

"I've been gone a while," Kili brought her attention back to him. "I should probably return to them."

Estel sighed and nodded, watching him get on his feet. He stood by the bed and watched her expectantly. "Well?" He said.

She furrowed her brows. "Well, what?"

"Well, aren't you coming?" His lips turned up into a smirk.

Her mouth fell open, and then she closed it. She started to smile and Kili offered his hand, which she gladly took. She pushed the blankets aside, and let her bare feet hit the cool floor. Her shoes were missing, and she sighed; it wouldn't hurt to ask Elrond for something to put on her cold feet. She stood for a moment, letting her legs get used to being vertically straight for once. She took a hesitant step, and then another one. Kili had an amused look on his face as he watched her, and he was reminded of a newborn calf taking its first steps.

She tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear, a delicate smile making its way onto her features. "It feels nice to walk on my own," she said.

Kili merely chuckled and let her hold his elbow when they left the healing chamber. He lead her down the confusing hallways, trusting his memory to guide him to his company's quarters. It was difficult for him to not steal a glance at the dwarrowdam beside him. His dark eyes drifted to the dress the elves gifted her, the way it hugged her slim form, and he could not deny that she looked very lovely. Her ivory skin and her dark hair were much more apparent to him. His cheeks reddened, and he looked back ahead, trying to hide his face in the curtain of his hair.

His memory did not fail him, and sure enough they found the company. Kili lead her out onto a pavilion where the company was crowded around a fire; it was fueled by the elven furniture they had broken earlier. They all smoked their pipes and laughed, roasting sausages over the flames. Kili noticed Bombur sitting on a bench with a large bowl of food in his hands. Bofur had a mischievous glint in his eyes, and Kili could see that the hatted dwarf was up to no good.

"Bombur!" Bofur called.

The heavy dwarf looked up once Bofur had thrown a sausage at him. Bombur caught it, but then the bench started to quiver and shake under him, until it collapsed under him. Down he went with a shriek, and all the dwarves began to laugh and chuckle uproariously. Beside him, Kili heard a light and airy laugh, and he looked down to see Estel with a big smile and tears of laughter in her eyes. He, too, started to laugh.

The dwarves started to calm after a while, and Fili caught sight of the two newcomers standing at the door.

"I was wondering when you would turn up," the blond dwarf grinned.

Bofur turned around and had a grand smile on his face when he saw the girl. "Miss Estel, you are looking very well."

"We were very worried," Ori spoke up.

Estel blushed lightly, and smiled at the dwarves. "Thank you for your concern."

Kili looked around, a crease coming in between his brows when he noticed the missing members of the company. "Where are Thorin and Balin?"

"Here." The dwarves looked behind Kili and Estel to see the two dwarves as well as Bilbo enter the room.

Thorin had a look of frustration and worry written across his stiff features; Balin looked weary if not worried as well. Thorin glanced at Estel from the corner of his, noting that she was well, but did not say anything. He dragged one of the chairs towards the group and sat down, rubbing one of his temples with one hand while the other held a rolled up piece of parchment. Balin passed by the two young dwarfs and he smiled.

"I see you're doing well, Miss Estel," the white bearded dwarf said. "That is good news."

The dwarrowdam smiled and inclined her head a bit. "Thank you, Master Balin. And I must thank everyone else," her eyes darted to Thorin briefly, "for aiding me. I will never forget what your company has done for me."

The dwarves and Bilbo smiled, except for Thorin who showed no signs of acknowledgment and continued to stare into the fire. Balin settled down beside his brother, and Kili led Estel towards Fili and Bofur. All talk and laughter resumed, and Estel just sat and listened quietly while taking in the warmth of the fire. She was reminded of the days when she'd sit just like this and listen to her uncle and the dwarves she called family; she repressed the memories, not being able to bear the thought of an aching heart.

Kili, as if sensing Estel's mood, turned to give her a questioning look. She only smiled, letting him know that she was fine. Kili looked back at Gloin, who was retelling a story; beside him, his brother frowned, leaning in a bit to get a closer look at his face.

"What happened to your face?" Fili asked.

Kili's brows knitted together, instinctively touching his cheeks and forehead. "What do you mean 'what happened'?"

"The wound on your head," Fili's voice was laced with confusement. "It's gone!"

The dwarves near them took a look at the dark haired dwarf's head and stared with surprise. Kili paled as he remembered what had happened, and beside him Estel stiffened. Thorin, too, was lured in by the strange disappearance of Kili's small head wound.

"It's as if it was never there," Thorin said. "How can this be?"

Kili hadn't the slightest idea of what to say. Truthfully, he was just afraid to tell them how it was gone. He couldn't reveal to them that Estel had a gift; he wouldn't dare, for it wasn't his secret to share. He didn't even know if the girl kept this a secret. The company stared at him with vigilant looks as Kili struggled to find the words.

Suddenly from behind, Estel spoke. "I… I healed him."

The dwarves' gazes left Kili and went directly towards the girl behind him, unable to hide their looks of surprise. Estel shrunk beneath their gazes, and fidgeted with the pendant at her neck. Thorin had narrowed his eyes, and to Estel it felt like he was dissecting her under his dark gaze. The dwarf stood up from his chair and slowly walked towards the girl, the company watching his every move. No one had expected his question to be so coercive and forceful.

"What are you?" He asked in a dangerously calm way.

A shiver ran through Estel and she seemed to have shrunk even smaller under his eyes. Kili stood up and placed himself between Thorin and Estel; his actions did not go unnoticed and the company watched with anxious eyes.

Thorin ignored his nephew and spoke. "I allow you to be taken care of," he said darkly. "You travel with us, you were protected from the enemies that we have come across. And now I demand something from you. Now, tell me exactly what you are."

Estel let an uneven breath flow from her mouth, and looked up into Thorin's cold blue eyes. Her heart thumped heavily and her mouth ran dry; she was unsure of what to say to the dwarf. She recalled her conversation with Lord Elrond and Kili, and she could not bear to lie again. But what choice did she have; they couldn't know about something that even she herself was so uncertain about.

"I am one of you," she said barely above a whisper. "Just just a dwarf and nothing more."

"A dwarf?" Thorin spat. "No dwarf can be of elf heritage, and a dwarf certainly cannot perform _that_." He pointed to Kili's face.

"She is who they want," Kili disrupted his uncle from going on. "The Orcs. They want her."

Thorin craned his head, but didn't say anything. Dwalin stepped forth and crossed his arms.

"And what, pray tell, would they want from you?" He asked gruffly.

They all looked at her, expecting an answer. Estel caught the young Durin's eyes, and she gave him a weak, defeated smile. She looked off into the corner of the pavilion, avoiding Thorin and Dwalin's faces.

"The arrow that I had been struck with contained an old, dark magic," she revealed what Elrond had told her. "It's purpose was to absorb the victim's being so that the user may be able to bend it to his own uses."

"And the Orcs wanted this healing power you have?" Balin asked from a few feet away

Estel nodded once. "Yes."

"Why?"

She blinked slowly, and wrung her hands. "I do not know. Whatever they want, no good will come of it."

Thorin gave her the same look Elrond had; she shivered, feeling as if he could see right through her. The older dwarf took some slow steps toward her and Estel instinctively took one back. Kili and Fili came closer to the girl, the darker haired brother eyeing his uncle worriedly. The room watched as Thorin pulled a dagger out, examining it close to his face.

"Thorin?" Balin frowned.

Before anyone could blink, Thorin had quickly slid the edge of the blade across his hand. Estel brought a hand up to her mouth to stifle a gasp, and many of the dwarves made noises of protest and concern. Bilbo looked close to fainting. Thorin hadn't even flinched, and he sheathed his dagger and held it his hand out to Estel.

"Heal me," he ordered.

Estel's eyes widened slightly, and her blue orbs flashed from Thorin's bleeding hand, to his face, to Kili, and back to the hand. She swallowed thickly and let a shaking breath flow from her lips. She reached out and gently took Thorin's hand while everyone watched closely. Her fingers lightly touched the long cut on his palm, and she closed her eyes just as she had done with Kili. Estel focused her energy to her fingertips, and the company watched with wide, amazed eyes as the light glow lit up her fingertips. Thorin expressed nothing as he watched, and when Estel pulled away, he held his hand up to his face.

There was no blood or cut, only the smooth skin of his palm. He touched his palm with the calloused fingers of his other hand, and slowly made a fist, as if he was testing to see whether his skin would suddenly split open. He flicked his eyes towards the dark haired girl, who stood fiddling with her pendant.

"What would the Orcs use the powers of healing for?" Thorin broke the thick silence with the question once more.

Estel licked her bottom lip in thought, staring at her bare feet. "I do not know."

Thorin looked at her thoughtfully until his face shifted into a deadpan expression, and he walked away and onto the balcony of the pavilion. Dwalin looked after the heir of Erebor, and with a sigh, followed him, remembering the rolled up parchment on the chair. The dwarves were confused, but Estel was even more so. She didn't understand what Thorin's intentions had been those few moments ago. His temper and arbitrary actions made her weary of him. Estel watched Balin and Fili leave the room to enter the balcony, and Kili stayed beside her. The dwarves resumed their talk and smoking of their pipes, although they were quieter this time. Estel sighed, and Kili looked at her worriedly.

"I think I'll walk go on a short walk," she said quietly.

"I'll come with you-" Estel cut Kili off.

"You don't need to, Kili," she said, looking rather despondent. She tried to smile; she really tried, but she just looked pitiful. "I'll be fine, I just need to think."

He sighed a bit, and tried to suppress his worry for the dwarrowdam; she looked so doleful. He put his hand on her arm and gave her a light squeeze. "Alright. I need to talk to Uncle anyhow. We'll be going over the map."

She gave him a single nod and one last smile before turning towards the door. Kili watched her leave and he exhaled the breath he had been holding. The dwarf tried to imagine how she felt, but he couldn't. The look on her face made him guilty, and he wished he had said something to Thorin before she blurted out her secret. He shook his head, turning around and making his way toward the balcony.

The four dwarves circled around a stone pedestal that they used to spread the map on. Fili and Balin looked up while Dwalin and Thorin kept their gazes on the parchment, focused on their conversation. Kili stood beside his brother quietly and listened to the older dwarves converse, and Fili would add something every once in a while. Thorin had revealed what he and Balin had learned once Elrond translated the runes on the map, and Dwalin and Fili listened intently. Kili felt that he should've been interested; after all, he had been incredibly ecstatic when his uncle asked him and his brother to join. Only now, Kili's thoughts circled around the dwarrowdam; Thorin's words went from one ear and out the other. He couldn't process anything.

After he inhaled a breath, he looked up from the parchment and up at his uncle, deciding to voice his thoughts.

"I think she should come with us," Kili said quietly.

The dwarves looked up at him. Thorin's lip twitched, and he turned his head back to Dwalin to continue where had had left off. Kili frowned and placed his hand over the map to the keep the older dwarf from explaining.

"Did you hear what I said?" Kili said.

Thorin sighed. "I did, and I won't allow it"

"Why not?"

"I will not allow someone let this company fall behind," Thorin muttered darkly. "Miss Estel cannot even fend for herself, and I doubt she has any skills with a sword."

"I can protect her," Kili argued.

"She can't come with us, lad," Dwalin sighed as if he were talking to a dwarfling. "Yer already reckless as it is, how can you protect the lass if you can barely manage yourself."

"Estel cannot stay here," the young dwarf conveyed. "She doesn't belong here."

"And you think she belongs with us?" Thorin's tone became sharper.

Kili swallowed the lump in his throat, and he nodded, very sure of his opinion. "Yes."

Thorin glared, and the dwarves looked between him and his nephew as tension grew thick between them.

"Kili," Balin sighed. "I like the girl. I do not think ill of her at all, but I do not think it is wise to allow her to embark on this journey."

"But where else will she go?" Kili argued. "She has lost everything. We know nothing of any surviving family members, and she doesn't have a home. We can give her one once we reclaim Erebor."

"Elves do not belong in the Lonely Mountain," Dwalin grimaced.

"She is also a dwarf," Fili turned to the bald dwarf. Dwalin couldn't suppress an eye roll and crossed his arms over his large chest.

Kili spoke to Thorin again. "She has a gift, Uncle. She could help us; there are dangers out there, and we can never be too sure if one of us needs her help."

"Be that as it may," Thorin crossed his arms as he looked Kili in the eye. "But that girl will only bring the Orcs to us."

Balin put his hand on Kili's shoulder. "Miss Estel will be much safer here, lad. If the Orcs are in pursuit of someone like her, then it would benefit the girl to not come along."

Kili frowned; he hadn't expanded his thoughts that far. He had forgotten that Estel was in danger, of what the Orcs had tried to do. It seemed selfish of him to want her to leave Rivendell with them when there was evil trying to worm its way to her. Guilt flooded him, and he was about to accept what the white bearded dwarf had said before Fili interjected.

"Are we all not in danger?" Fili asked. The dwarves furrowed their brows at the blond. "Orcs have been sighted from the Brandywine River to the Misty Mountains. This is not something new."

Thorin narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying?"

"I feel that Miss Estel should accompany us," Fili earnestly said. "She cannot stay in Rivendell forever; she doesn't seem like the type of person to overstay their welcome. It is not safe for her to wander the lands alone, especially without her kin. She could help us with her ways of healing, should anything happen to the lot of us."

Kili looked at the dwarf with surprised eyes, and Fili looked over to his younger brother with a warm smile and confidence in his blue eyes. The brothers looked over to the three older dwarves expectantly, especially Thorin.

Balin cleared his throat and said, "I suppose Fili is right. Perhaps it would do us good to let her come along."

Dwalin closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "Some of us are bound to get hurt," he muttered, opening his eyes to glance at Kili. "Especially since one of us is rather reckless."

Kili grinned a bit, and let his gaze settle over his uncle, who had remained silent. The young dwarf shot Thorin a hopeful look, holding his gaze until the older dwarf shut his eyes and let out a breath.

* * *

Estel had stopped walking some time ago. She sat on a marble bench on a terrace, trying to calm her frantic heart by looking at the moon. She was shaking; it wasn't because of Thorin and his dark look nor was it the thought of Orcs. No, it was something entirely different, something new.

It had begun a few minutes after she had left the company, and her thoughts had been scattered. They centered around her gift of healing, the dwarves, her future, and her lost family. It wasn't until her thoughts drifted to Thorin leaving the room, that something peculiar yet frightening had happened.

It had started when she recollected the moment Thorin, Bilbo, and Balin had entered the pavilion. For some odd reason, her thoughts surfaced to the rolled up parchment Thorin held, and that was when the floor rushed out and her head began swimming.

She was on the balcony with the dwarves, with Thorin and Balin, and she was certain that she wasn't there a moment ago. Estel felt trapped, frozen, and could not open her mouth to utter a word. They did not look at her nor did they notice her. She watched the map unfurl, revealing runes and drawings. It felt like she was sucked into the parchment, feeling a soft scratch against her skin until she was twisted and contorted against her will. Then in the next moment, Estel was thrown to the ground, and dirt and rock was beneath her. Despite her overwhelming fear, she had looked up and there was a wall of rock in front her, shimmering in the white light while a small piece was being pushed inward. Air had rushed out, and then there was a voice so fearsome that whispered in her ear. "Death," it hissed to her, making every hair on the dwarrowdam's body rise.

When Estel opened her eyes, she was kneeling heavily against a wall, and a light sweat had broken out at her hairline. That was how she ended up on the terrace. She tried to understand what happened to her. She was frightened, and she was confused.

"A sibyl," she breathed. She shook her head, feeling foolish; it couldn't have been a vision, she thought, but what if it was? It made no sense at all.

Yet she had a strange feeling. Something strange was bubbling inside her mind and heart, and the more she ventured into what she had just seen, the more sure she was about what her uncle had told her. The map and runes stood out heavily, and Estel was uncertain as to whether or not this was the parchment Thorin was holding. It couldn't have been, she thought, but then what else could it be?

The hairs on her arms and neck rose, and a terrible shiver ran down her back when she thought of the voice again. The whisper licked at Estel's ears again, and her heart raced once again. If she was the sibyl her uncle truly said she was, then something dark was going to meet them. She didn't know anything of the door, however; it was unfamiliar and she couldn't find any relevance.

"It is nice to see you all well and recovered, Miss Estel," Estel jumped in her seat, and swiveled her head around to see Gandalf entering the terrace.

She let out a sigh, and smiled kindly at the wizard. "Thank you. It may not have been possible without you or the company's help."

Gandalf quietly chuckled and lowered down beside her, holding his staff in his hands as he, too, began looking at the stars. The dwarrowdam and wizard sat like that for a while, both quiet, one at peace and the other deep in thought. Estel clenched one hand in her lap and the other went straight to her collarbone, smoothing her fingers over the metal pendant. Without looking down at her, Gandalf broke the silence.

"Something troubles you."

It was more of a statement rather a question. Estel folded both of her hands together and sighed softly, letting her eyes dance from star to star, and then to the moon. It took her a moment or two to gather herself and her thoughts. From the corner of her eye, Gandalf had a light smile. Estel had grown to like the wizard for his kindness and for the fact that he was wise. She deemed him a trustworthy person, and so she settled the small nagging of her mind.

"Much has changed in my life," Estel said quietly. "Especially in such a short amount of time."

Gandalf nodded. "I am very sorry for the loss you have experienced," he said, and Estel knew he was being sincere. "I only hope that in the future, you will find some comfort and happiness."

Estel smiled lightly. "Thank you, Mister Gandalf."

He nodded again with a smile on his face, but through his smile, his eyes took a serious note. "But I feel that you have more to say?"

Her lips were set in a straight line and she nodded. "I am not who I seem to be, Gandalf. Even I suddenly see myself as a stranger. I'm confused and frightened, and I do not have the slightest idea in the world as to what will happen to me."

Gandalf didn't say anything, only listened, knowing that she was going to continue.

"Lord Elrond has enlightened me on the magic that struck me, an ancient magic that I'm sure you have known for some time."

The wizard smiled with a hint of guilt. "A dangerous magic, yes. I must admit, Estel, that Lord Elrond has told me of the possible motive behind the Orcs' pursuit of you, of your gift of healing."

Somehow the dwarrowdam knew that the elf would tell Gandalf, and she did not protest. It didn't bother her that he knew; the whole company knew what she could do now anyway. Estel closed her eyes for a few seconds before reopening them, and swallowed her hesitation away.

"There is something I must tell you, Gandalf," Estel's voice wavered, seemingly getting quieter with every second. "Something I have been hiding since the day I had awakened to the camp."

Gandalf's eyes told her to continue, and Estel inhaled and exhaled a breath. "The Orcs weren't after my healing abilities; they wanted something else from me."

"What did they want?" Gandalf asked.

Estel looked away from her hands and up to the wizard. "A sibyl."

He blinked, but his eyes gave away nothing. Estel's heart thumped from how nervous she was and began questioning herself in whether or not she had done the right thing by telling him. Gandalf went back to looking at the night sky.

"It makes a bit more sense to me that the Orcs would want someone of your power," he said. Estel said nothing, only fiddled with her necklace. "It is strange, after centuries, to know that there is another seer amongst us. Though Lord Elrond has the gift of Foresight, his is not as powerful."

"He does?"

"Yes," the wizard nodded. "And he's known since you have come here. Though he thought it best that come to terms with it before making such a reveal."

She had been about to respond before another thought slipped into her mind. She was at a stump.

"Do you not find it strange, then, that Orcs would come for me rather than Lord Elrond? Would they not want a seer with… _experience_?"

Gandalf's lips were set into a grim line, and he nodded slowly. "A good question, one that I, unfortunately, do not have the answer to."

Estel's hands wrung together as she nodded. For now, she would accept the knowledge. She will find out soon, she thought.

"Something has happened to me, Gandalf," Estel frowned. "The notion that I am a sibyl has left me frightened and uncertain. And moments ago when I had left the company. I… Something _strange_ had happened, a vision perhaps."

Gandalf nodded thoughtfully. "Is it your first?"

"Yes, and it worries me," she sighed. They said nothing in that short time until Estel spoke up again. "I will be very grateful if you do not tell the others, Gandalf. If anything, I fear it may put them in danger."

The wizard sighed to himself, and set his hand on top of Estel's head. "I won't utter a word, but I do not think it will be easy to hide something like this from Thorin Oakenshield or the other members of the company."

Estel wanted to reply, but a blonde she-elf entered the terrace. She bowed to Gandalf, speaking in hushed tones in a language Estel could barely detect. It was most likely Sindarin, she thought. She could only catch glimpses of what was said, but they were much too quiet. The dwarrowdam watched the elf step to the side as Gandalf rose from his seat.

"Lord Elrond requests my presence," he told her. With a friendly smile and a nod of his head, he said, "I bid you a good rest of the night, Miss Estel."

She smiled and nodded her head back, watching the wizard leave the terrace and down the hall. She sighed, and then remembered the elf who stood with her hands clasped in front her.

"It is good to see you well, Lady Estel," the elf said softly.

Estel blushed lightly and smiled. "Thank you." The dwarrowdam then furrowed her brows. "How do you-?"

"Know you?" The elf finished. "I aided my Lord Elrond to heal you, and helped your dwarf friend to your room."

"Then I must thank you again," Estel said, rising from the bench. She brushed the nonexistent dust away from her dress. "If I may ask, what is your name?"

"Hûredhiel," the elf replied.

Estel nodded. "Health, very fitting."

The elf, Hûredhiel, smirked. "I see you are aware of the Elvish tongue."

The dwarrowdam nodded, leaving the terrace with Hûredhiel following close behind. "My mother taught me some words or phrases when I was a child. After she had died, my father's brother taught me Sindarin."

"Your mother... Mithrandir tells us that she was an elf," Hûredhiel said. The elf smiled at the slight confusion on the dwarrowdam's face at the name. "The wizard."

"Yes, she was." Estel looked at the statues that passed them with a thoughtful look upon her face.

"I find it rather intriguing," Hûredhiel told her. "There have been times when Elves would elope and procreate with Men, but with dwarves, it is rather unheard of."

"Some aren't very accepting," Estel mumbled softly. Her thoughts lingered to Thorin and a few of the dwarves and their hesitance to accept her, but Thorin was very narrow minded to the idea of her.

Hûredhiel smiled sympathetically. "But some are."

The dwarrowdam and she-elf continued along the halls, and Hûredhiel was leading her back to the room she was in as wordless request from Estel. The she-elf somehow sensed it from the girl. Estel felt tired mentally and physically, and she wanted very much to lay back down on the comfortable bed waiting for her.

She frowned to herself. What was she thinking? It almost selfish of her to think of a warm bed when so many terrible things had happened; her family was gone, she may have put the dwarves at risk, and Orcs were after her when all she wanted was to feel comfortable again. Estel felt ashamed.

She pulled herself out of her thoughts when she heard footsteps come bounding towards her and Hûredhiel. Estel looked up from her feet to see the young dark haired dwarf and his brother come from the opposite direction of the hall.

"We've been looking for you," Kili said as he and Fili stopped before them.

Estel furrowed her brows. "Whatever for?"

The two brothers exchanged a knowing look that only confused the dwarrowdam even more. The two pulled the dwarrowdam aside, away from Hûredhiel. Fili said quietly, "We want you to continue on our journey with the rest of us."

She was taken aback, and blinked a few times. It was a surprise, really, that they would want someone such as herself to come along. Her eyes flickered between Fili and Kili, and then she sighed and stared off at point behind them. Estel felt her heart ache, and this time she did not know why. It was a simple thing that the two dwarf brothers wanted, but Estel felt that she could not do this for them.

"I cannot go with you," Estel murmured softly.

The brothers frowned. "Why?" Kili said. "You can come with us; you don't have to stay here."

"It is not…" Estel struggled for the words. "It is not _safe_ for you all if I were to travel with your company. All of you will be in danger, and I cannot live with myself if something happens."

"This fear of danger has been spoken of previously," Fili said. "And even if that is true, we can still face that risk with or without you."

Estel sighed, fiddling with her fingers in thought; she only frowned and shook her head. "I still feel that I shouldn't go."

"If you don't, then where will you go?" Kili asked. "You can't stay in Rivendell forever."

She breathed in, looking away from their eyes. "I am a traveller, Kili. It is all I know. I can get by on trading and doing simple work for a few days at a time before moving on. It's the only thing I can do, really."

Kili frowned and glanced at his brother from the corner of his eye; Fili, too, shared a look of sympathy for the young dwarrowdam. They way she spoke seemed so morose, and it clouded her eyes.

"You can live in Erebor," Kili said, and Estel turned to him with confusion. "Once we complete the quest and take back the Lonely Mountain, you can live there along with all the dwarves. You won't ever have to wander the lands again."

Estel shook her head. "I don't belong there."

"You have every right to belong there as does every dwarf in Middle Earth," Fili said.

Silence was all Estel could give them; she just simply didn't have the words. It was hard for her to believe that the brothers in front of her actually wanted her to come along; however, others may not be so open to the idea.

"And what does Thorin think of all this?" She asked them.

"He has agreed to let you come," Kili grinned.

"Of course, he was reluctant at first," Fili added. "But he realized that you would be of use to us. It's not everyday that you come across a healer better than Oin."

Estel looked the blond dwarf pointedly. "Oin is a fine healer."

"Besides that," Kili said. "Will you come with us?"

Estel's eyes trailed from Fili to Kili. She gnawed on her lip before sighing. "Alright."

The brothers smiled, and Fili said, "We leave before dawn."


	9. And So The Journey Begins

_Happy (Late) Thanksgiving! I am finally back home to see my family and friends, and was in a food coma. I hope you all had a great holiday! Enjoy this chapter! And I would sure love some reviews (wink wink). :)_

* * *

A knock at the door had woken Estel. When she opened her eyes, the moon was still up, and the sky was still dark. The knock came again, and the dark-haired girl had to blink the sleepiness from her blue eyes. She peeled back the quilts and sheets and let her feet meet the cool floor. When she crossed the space to open the wooden door, she was surprised to see Ori standing there.

"Oh, hello, Ori," she smiled softly.

The young dwarf nervously wrung his tunic, shifting from foot to foot. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that the dwarf was in need of relieving himself.

"We will be leaving very shortly, Miss," Ori whispered, looking over his shoulder as if one of the elves would come around the corner. "Balin has asked me to retrieve you."

Estel nodded. "Alright, I'll be out in a moment."

Ori gave her a short, curt nod, and she quietly shut the door. Below the mirror on the far wall was a small table, and on it was a basin along with a pitcher of water. She poured the cool water into the ceramic basin, and set it aside to lightly splash water onto her face. She rubbed the crust away from her tired eyes, and let out a content sigh, feeling much better. She dried her face and peered into the looking glass.

Very rarely did she look at her reflection, and when she did, she tried not to let her eyes linger for so long. This time, however, was a bit different. Her eyes trailed along her jaw and her ears, and a dark feeling knotted her insides. She blew the air out from her cheeks and set the cloth she dried her face with down beside the basin. Estel's eyes flickered towards the carved, wooden table behind her, and her brows came together when she noticed something.

She slowly closed the distance to the table; what was on top had caught her attention. There was a brown leather pack, smaller than her torso but bigger than her head, and a set of clothes. Estel let her hand graze against the pack before opening it. She opened it with wonder to see it filled with a hairbrush, two spools of thread and a needle, and other little things. There was an extra set of clothes, a small wrapped loaf of bread, and a pouch of nuts, as well. She closed the pack, and there was a little smile on her face. She then turned to the set of clothes next to her; a piece of folded parchment was set atop the fabric and Estel unfolded it.

_Safe travels_,

_Hûredhiel_

Estel smiled, thanking the kind elf in her head. Her fingers touched the piece of clothing and, she held it up in front of her. It was a dark gray tunic held together by silver thread; the neckline and hem had intricate silver details woven into it. Along with it, was a pair of black hosen, which struck Estel as odd, because she couldn't think of any lady wearing such a thing; a nice pair of boots sat on the edge of the table, and Estel felt very grateful that Hûredhiel had given her all of this. The dwarrowdam put the attire on, the tunic coming just above her knee and the boots laced tightly. There was another thing Estel hadn't noticed when she slung the pack across her shoulders, and that was a cloak. Estel held the material in her hands, looking at in awe; it was a very beautiful dark blue, and it had a silver clasp fashioned in the shape of an eight-pointed star.

Estel swung it over it herself and closed the clasp. "Thank you, Hûredhiel," she murmured to herself.

She opened the door, giving Ori a small smile, and shut it quietly behind her. The dwarf lead her through the confusing halls until they reached the company's quarters. The dwarves were talking quietly as they checked their belongings and took whatever provisions they could. Kili looked up from tightening his boots and shot a smile towards Estel, who returned it kindly. The dwarf prince's brow rose at the sight of her new clothes and pack. Thorin stood with Dwalin and both of their expressions were unfazed when Estel and Ori entered.

"Everyone's all here," Balin rose from an armchair. "We should leave now."

Estel frowned, realizing that someone was missing. "What about Gandalf?"

"Our wizard will meet us at the passage through the Misty Mountains," Dwalin said.

Without another word, Thorin and Dwalin took the lead as the company followed them close behind. Estel was pushed to the back along with Ori and Bilbo while the quietly treaded through the halls. It was quiet, and through the marble pillars, the sky was beginning to turn a lighter shade.

They'd stop every few feet to check the corners to see if a servant or guard was nearby. The company sneaked as quiet as they could muster; but of course, as dwarves, it was a bit of a struggle. Estel bumped into Ori a few times and always sent him apologetic looks. She could tiptoe rather easily, but the speed and abruptness of the dwarves made it difficult. Even Bilbo seemed to be having trouble when the company would come to an abrupt stop every now and then.

It taken them some time to reach the entrance of Rivendell without being seen; once they had set foot on the bridge, the weight had lifted only just a bit off the company's shoulders. A gentle wind blew against Estel's face, and she combed her hair away with her fingers, looking up and around her in silent awe. She had never seen the outside of the city since she had woken up and dwelled within the walls; it was rather beautiful, even through the dullness of dawn. All the while, she worried about Gandalf and whether he'd keep his word to meet them at the Misty Mountains pass. For what reasons he was not here with them, she was didn't know; she wondered if Lord Elrond's request for his presence had kept him long.

Estel felt a presence beside her, knowing that it wasn't Bilbo or Ori, and she glanced up from the corner of her eye. Kili walked steadily beside her, and Fili only a foot ahead of him. It was odd, she thought, because the two dwarves had been near the front with their uncle. The darker haired brother seemed wide awake and alert, even though he-along with the rest of the company- had very little sleep. Estel, herself, felt sleep tugging at the corners of her mind; it was a wonder that they all could keep their energy.

Kili looked down at the dwarrowdam, a smile pulling at his lips when Estel quickly shifted her gaze to the back of Ori's head. She tried not to let her face or neck flush; she hadn't meant to let her stare linger for so long. However, she then felt his eyes on her, and a shiver ran down her spine. Estel inhaled a breath of the morning air and trained her eyes onto the path before her.

The sky had turned into the color of pink roses with streaks of orange and lavender as the sun slowly rose over the valley. By this time, the company had passed the waterfall and a fine mist coated them. When morning had come, the path leading to Rivendell had nearly come to its end.

"Be on your guard," Thorin called from the front. "We're about to step over the edge of the Wild." He turned to Balin, who was right behind him. "Balin, you know these paths. Lead on."

The old dwarf nodded, walking past Thorin to take over the lead. "Aye."

Bilbo seemed to slow down, looking over his shoulder to take one last look at Rivendell. He gazed at the brilliant valley with longing until Thorin sternly told him to keep his pace with the rest of the group. Estel, however, could not help herself, and stopped in her tracks to look over the whole valley. Her deep blue eyes trailed over the expanse of the greenland, watching as the sun rose over the hills and made the city of Rivendell shine with magnificence.

Although the company was far up ahead, Estel heard footsteps behind her. From either side her, Fili and Kili looked at the land before them with the young woman.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" There was fondness in her soft voice.

"Aye," The darker haired of the two replied with a short nod of his head. Kili flashed his eyes towards her awestruck face. "But Erebor must be even grander."

Estel smiled lightly in thought, and Kili set his hand on her shoulder. "You'll be back one day," he said with a comforting way smile of his own.

Fili turned back to follow the company. "Hurry now, you two," he said. "The Lonely Mountain is waiting."

The further the company journeyed, the higher the hills became. The trees had thinned and the green vegetation grew less and less. The sun that had shone overhead steadily made its way to set, casting its orange and purple hues across the sky. Estel admired the sky, and acknowledged the nature surrounding her. She wasn't sure of the last time she had been to a land where there were no trees or bushes. The company trudged along the path, a few of them falling behind with fatigue while Estel pushed herself to keep going.

"How is that you are not tired?" Bilbo sighed from behind her, short of breath. Hobbits were not meant for travel.

The dwarrowdam looked over her shoulder with a small grin before facing the path again. "I am used to this sort of life, Bilbo Baggins. All my life, I have been walking these lands." Estel smiled to herself in thought, feeling some comfort as her feet hit the ground with every step, taking in the hardness of the dirt and the air around her. "Although, I don't think I've ever come across this terrain before," she added.

"What was it like?" Bilbo asked. "Travelling from one place to another?"

"It was… wonderful," Estel concluded. "You never knew where you'd go next, the people you'd encounter. I always looked forward to going to the trading posts with my caravan." She ignored the dull twinge in her heart, and kept on. "But at the end of each day, I always looked forward to setting up camp and laying under the stars. They were beautiful, more so than the rolling green hills."

Kili had been listening the whole time, and he looked over his shoulder to say, "Perhaps tonight, you will see them."

Estel gave him a light shrug, looking up towards the sky, spotting clouds in the distance. By the looks of it, the sky would soon be covered. "I'm afraid not for awhile."

Kili looked up at the sky as well, and shifted his gaze back to the path. "You will in good time."

A small smile tugged at the corners of her thin lips, and she looked at the ground as they continued up the slight incline of the path. After a few more minutes of walking, Thorin had drifted away from the path to a small clearing where a few tall trees stood, declaring camp for the day. The dwarves set all their packs and supplies onto the earth, taking up their positions of smoking the pipes or aiding Bombur. Gloin and Ori had come back with kindle to make a fire, and Thorin sat beside Dwalin with the map unfurled in front of them.

Estel rested her back against a tree, far enough from the company, but not too far to exclude herself. A sigh escaped her lips as she watched the clouds swallow the last of the sky; wind shook the branches and flowed through her hair. The coming weather made her wonder whether or not they would have trouble in the next few days. She could smell the moisture and dust in the air, knowing that sooner or later it would rain.

The company's supper was bread and salted or dried out meat; it would have to be consumed then instead of later, knowing that it would go bad soon. Estel ripped apart pieces of bread and stuffed it into her mouth, finding comfort in the smell of pipe weed and the sound of the crackling fire. Some feet away, Bofur was retelling a story centered around Bombur, causing the round dwarf to burn red. Laughter erupted from the group while some rolled their eyes. On the other side of the dwarrowdam, Bilbo came up and settled down beside her, pipe in hand.

"Loud lot, aren't they?" He spoke around his pipe.

Estel wrapped the remainder of her bread and stowed it away safely. "A little. I am only glad that their spirits are high."

Bilbo shrugged his shoulders, blowing rings of smoke into the air. He felt a strange tug at the edge of his coat, and looked down. Estel's fingers had trailed the edge, a frown set on her face.

"Is something the matter?" He asked.

"Your coat is torn," she said quietly, fingering the rip in the red fabric.

She was right; there was a rip the size of his fist. Bilbo frowned. "Oh, dear. This was specially made..." he muttered.

Her pack was thrown open, and she sifted her hands through its contents until she grasped the spool of thread and needle. Estel silently thanked Hûredhiel once again. "I can mend it for you, if you wish."

Bilbo hesitated, gripping the edge of his coat. "Are sure it won't be any trouble for you?"

Estel only shook her head and smiled. "It would keep me busy."

The hobbit sighed, shaking his coat off and setting it on the girl's lap. Estel carefully threaded her needle, and set to fix Bilbo's coat. A moment later, Bofur had called Bilbo towards the fire, and Estel found herself alone as she tended to the red coat. She didn't mind; she felt the need to find company in herself. She listened to the sounds of the company as she wove her needle in and out, over and across the space of the rip. Calm flooded her senses, and suddenly she was back in the days with her caravan, mending their clothes by the warmth of the fire.

The mending of fabric was a book of memories for the young dwarrowdam, one that she felt the need to close and tuck away, only she didn't. She couldn't find it in herself to push away friendly faces, and the memory of warm nights by the fire and pipeweed smoke. The sounds around her were very much like that, but they weren't the same. Countless years of happiness and many days or nights of stitching socks or trousers back together, gone in a mere blink.

Yet, here she was, sewing the hobbit's coat near a fire with laughing dwarves some feet away. Only the happiness wasn't there. Estel tried to muster up any sort of clement feeling, but she found emptiness. Loneliness, too, accompanied the feeling. It swept over her like the strong current of a river.

The hole in her heart was growing with every second.

She pulled her hand back quickly, her finger stinging as a bead of blood sprouted. Her wandering mind led to the needle pricking her. She sighed, wiping the blood away with her other fingers. Estel had finished the last few stitches and tied it off; when she finished, the dwarves were just turning in.

Kili was about to unfurl his bedroll when Thorin strode past him and muttered, "You have first watch."

The dwarf groaned while his brother snickered beside him, straightening his posture and taking up his bow and quiver. He moved away from the group and took his position atop a rock, close to the trees. Estel came to stand where Bilbo was fast asleep, and gently lay his coat over him. She smiled softly, and sat by the glowing warmth of the fire. Eventually, the whole company had settled down, dozing or fast asleep. Thorin kept his eyes open for some time, blinking slowly until they drooped shut as he fell asleep. Others, like Oin, snored in gentle rhythms, while Gloin snored loud enough to wake Rivendell.

Estel wrapped herself in her cloak, hand around her pendant, and peered from under her eyelashes at the sky. The clouds blanketed the sky with no trace of any star or moonlight. With a silent sigh, she gave up her searching of the stars and looked into the fire. It flickered and waved in the light breeze; looking into the flames eased her heartbeat and thoughts. The glow made her eyes heavy, and soon enough it made Estel's eyelids heavy with sleep.

Something dropped beside her, startling her with a jump. It was her bedroll, and beside it was Kili.

"If you are tired," he said with a turn of his lip. "Then you should sleep. I'd rather you not fall face first into the fire."

Estel glanced at him softly and then back to the flames, pulling her cloak closer to her frame. "I will in a moment or two."

"You're drooping," Kili chuckled quietly, kneeling down to spread her bed roll over the dirt floor. The girl before him reached out and pushed his hands away gently, shaking her head and told him, "Don't do that. I can do it myself."

He sat back on his heels when he saw the insistent look in her eyes. He moved to sit with his knee raised and his other leg stretched out; he pulled his bow to him and kept it in his grasp for precaution. He waited a moment, watching Estel from the corner of his eye as she spread her bed roll herself and sat atop of it. Then he spoke.

"How are you?" They were quiet words, spoken as if he didn't want the others to hear.

"I feel alright, stronger than before-"

Kili shook his head and spoke over her. "No, what I meant to say was... I meant how are you feeling about all of..." he waved his hand around the camp, something indistinguishable in his eyes. "This."

"Oh," she murmured, gaze going to her hands clasped in her lap. She sighed before finding her answer. "All I can tell you is that which I am grateful."

"But?"

She furrowed her brows when she searched his face. "But what?"

"There is something else, is there not?" He asked. "You cannot fool these eyes." A smirk ghosted his lips, and he added, "Or this handsome mug."

A quiet laugh that reminded Kili of chimes escaped her lips, but then her face slowly fell and she looked away. Something stirred in her, and Estel felt that the feeling would never subside. It was sad and morose; it made the threads of her heart tighten.

"I miss them," she whispered. Kili barely caught the words, and when he did he frowned. "The ache never goes away, it only grows stronger."

He didn't say anything. He couldn't find comforting words to utter.

"Please don't pity me, Kili," she said sadly. "I cannot bear for you to feel that you mu-"

"I would never pity you," Kili said, shaking his head while his hand clenched around his bow. "You have every right to feel as you are, but I wouldn't pity you." He licked his lips and went on, "I should've done this before, but I offer you my deepest condolences."

She's swallowed the lump in her throat, wrapping her arms around herself. "Thank you."

He nodded his welcome. "And I am glad you are coming with us, Estel. Truly, I am."

A soft smile took her face, and she looked into his eyes. He had such kind, wonderful eyes that made her feel welcome around him. She realized that she was thankful that the Valar allowed the two of them to cross paths.

"As am I."


	10. Author's Note

Hello, my friends!

Wow, so it's been an incredible amount of time since I last posted on this story. During this time, I have been thinking a lot about this story. I've come to realize that the character I have created is not someone who I have come to enjoy, and I feel that she is just...plain.

Estel is plain and rather typical for me. I know some of you love her, but I think that there needs to be much more depth to her. There needs to be something else than a damsel-in-distress. There needs to be a strong-willed female, and I have grown rather tired from reading all these novels where the female suffers from a constant self-deprecation. It did not become clear to me until a review many months ago.

It kinda sucks because I've written thirty eight chapters already (oops). However, I have come to a decision. I will rewrite this story with the same OC, just improved. I'm rewriting it not only for you, my friends, but also for myself. I'm rewriting it in order to instill a strength and power that we, as women (readers and authors), possess and need to emphasize because we're not damsels-in-distress. But I'm still going to include romance, he he he, because **_hell yeah!_**

I am, in no way possible, condemning you for taking joy in the cliches. They are classics, after all, and still art. It's just that for myself, I would not sit right if I continued writing about a character who has followed the same path as many other dainty characters.

With that, thank you for those who stick by me. There's no hard feelings if you leave; we're all human.

Much love,

Ro


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